“The best possible Christmas present”   That’s how local Euro MP Glenis Willmott has described a decisive step taken this week to improve access to AIDS medicines in the developing world.

UNITAID, the international health financing agency, has given the go ahead to create a “patent pool” which could radically improve the availability of medicines.

Speaking in the European Parliament in Strasbourg this week, the East Midlands Labour MEP explained that the move should bring down the cost of generic drugs.  “It will also make easier, the combination of drugs from different makers into fixed-dose or one pill combinations.”  

As Labour’s Public Health Spokesperson in the European Parliament, Glenis has been supporting the campaign, organized by Médecins Sans Frontières, to open up the availability of drugs for some time, and is delighted that a Parliament Written Declaration on the issue has borne fruit.

“The ball is now in the court of the patent holders – the pharmaceutical companies.   They’ve shown a positive response so far, but now the pool has been given the green light, they need to move from expressing general support to making firm commitments. 

“We hope they will do so as quickly as possible.   Millions of people in Africa and elsewhere are depending on them.”

17 December 2009

Background

International trade rules have led to the patenting of newer drugs in key generic-producing countries. A company that holds patents on a medicine has the right to prevent others from manufacturing it and, by taking advantage of its monopoly, charge high prices. In some developing countries, the cost of newer HIV treatments can thus be inaccessible for millions of people living with HIV.

People living with HIV inevitably develop resistance to their treatment. They need newer drugs as their initial medicines no longer work effectively against the virus or cause unbearable side effects.  They will thus need newer, patented medicines.

A patent pool for medicines has the potential to safeguard access to patented medicines for people living with HIV in the developing world, by creating a structure for drug companies to share their HIV drug patents and receive royalties in return. Other drug companies can access these patents and competition between multiple manufacturers will bring prices down. The removal of patent barriers can also help stimulate the development of child-friendly formulations or fixed-dose combinations, combining several drugs into one pill.

UNITAID has confirmed that this pool is for all developing countries, but as this is a voluntary mechanism, the ultimate outcome will depend on the decisions of patent holders.  Countries can still use the legal mechanisms at their disposal such as compulsory licensing and pro-health patent laws to ensure people have access to the life-saving medicines they need.”

Médecins Sans Frontières www.msfaccess.org