Views on the IGWG

Written by James Love
Monday, 12 November 2007


NGO views 

Michele Lotrowska, Access to Essential Medicines Campaign, MSF

"What is most encouraging is that governments have decided that business as usual won’t do anymore.  They are open to exploring entirely new ways of financing essential health research, in such a way that the fruits of innovation are accessible to those who need it the most.  One example is the decision to pursue discussions on an essential health and biomedical R&D treaty.  We are getting a sense that countries are pushing WHO to be more active in resolving the access to medicines crisis, and take  a pro-health approach to intellectual property.  And governments are taking steps to address the fundamental reasons why investment into innovation for diseases of the poor is lacking.   As a medical organisation, we need an R&D system that allows both medical innovation and access."  10 November 2007

Statement of Ethan Guillen, Executive Director, Universities Allied for Essential Medicines

"The engaging debate that took place this week was a critical step in increasing the role of universities in addressing the lack of access to medicines for the world's poor and deficiencies in the current system of R&D.  The policies of most universities in the developed world now inhibit both access and innovation.  Delegates took impressive steps in outlining ways to change this.  Universities administrators must take note of these discussions and become positive, active participants in fulfilling their responsibility to society by embracing a system that promotes innovation and access."  10 November 2007

Rohit Malpani.  Oxfam

"We are disappointed that some rich countries were unwilling to place public health at the center of this week’s negotiation and to act in the best interests of poor people.  We expect all parties, and particularly the European Union, to return to the negotiations next year with a plan of action that ensures access to affordable medicines and promotes new innovation that truly benefits poor people in developing countries."  10 November 2007 

James Love, Director, KEI

"This is a difficult negotiation. The topics are hard, and delegates are being asked to do something new. Negotiators are creating new global norms and mechanisms to promote both innovation and access to medical technologies. For many years we have had an access to medicines movement. Today we have an "innovation plus access," or "i+a" movement. This is the first real i+a negotiation. The progress was slow, but very positive. The pharmaceutical industry tried to block all of the new ideas, including most importantly, future discussions on a medical R&D treaty. But discussions on everything, including an R&D treaty, are moving forward. This has been a very strong week for the i+a advocates.  10 November 2007

Statement of Judit Rius Sanjuan, Abogada, KEI 

La segunda reunión del grupo de trabajo sobre Salud Pública, Innovación y Propiedad Intelectual (IGWG), se suspendió hoy con un sentimiento de triunfo por el claro reconocimiento del mandato de la OMS en la búsqueda de una nueva concepción de los mecanismos de apoyo y financiación a la innovación médica, en especial de soluciones que tengan un efecto positivo sobre el precio de los productos y aseguren el acceso para todos. Durante estas negociaciones, merecen una mención especial los más de 18 países de la región latino americana que apoyaron el Documento de Río y que han enriquecido sustancialmente el debate aportado propuestas que priorizan los objetivos de la salud pública. El futuro, en la opinión de KEI y de muchos de los presentes, es un tratado en investigación y desarrollo en materia de salud y biomedicina. En esta reunión fue acordado por consenso alentar nuevos debates sobre esta importante propuesta.  10 November 2007

Malini Aisola, Research Associate, KEI

Even though work was not completed today, and the IGWG negotiations were suspended, governments are committed to reaching  consensus on measures to ensure access to medical innovations in all parts of the world.  This was a strong start, but to reach a successful finish governments will have to focus their attention on finding new and sustainable ways to fund R&D that allow access for all.  10 November 2007

Thiru Balasubramaniam, Geneva Representative, KEI

"If the global public health community is truly serious about fulfilling the mandate of resolution WHA 59.24 which calls upon the WHO IGWG to 1) set priorities, 2) estimate funding needs and 3) develop sustainable funding mechanisms, the WHO IGWG needs to adopt the new paradigm of "innovation plus access (i+a).  I +A is more than a catch phrase, it is movement.  The most significant outcome  was the  WHO IGWG's adoption of language which called upon WHO to '[e]ncourage further exploratory discussion on the utility of possible instruments or mechanisms for essential health and biomedical R&D including inter alia an essential health and biomedical R&D treaty'."  For the next round of IGWG negotiations in 2008, one hopes Mexico, Sweden and Colombia do not remain stumbling blocks to progress.  We look forward to further leadership from Kenya, Brazil, Thailand and commend the flexibility exhibited by Canada and the United States on the question of the R&D Treaty."  


Government Views 

Santiago Luis Bento Fernandez Alcazar, Brazil

There is no doubt that this session of the IGWG process has been a historical one. I believe it is now clear for everyone that WHO, as the main international organization dedicated to the fulfilment of the highest standards of health has a big voice in everything that may impact public health. It is high time that that there is a "health lens" through which policies and political decisions must be examined. This is what this second session was all about and that is what all of us agreed upon when we supported the idea of strengthening the role of WHO in taking forward the "public health, innovation and intellectual property" agenda from a health perspective.  11 November 2007
 

Suriname Delegation

The Commission on Marcoeconomics and Health's typing of diseases is an economic one, designed to understand the current reward and incentive system when it pertains (the lack of) research. It has no therapeutic merit at all. In the small Caribbean societies and in Latin America, with relative high morbidity and mortality rates of Chronic, Non-Communicable Diseases, we do not only need innovation that is pertininent for use in our health systems, but even more, access to these products, to make sure that we have affordable health products for use by our professionals. We therefor strongly oppose any typing and listing of diseases, that may limit us in the design and implementation of additional and alternative incentive schemes to promote innovation and access to products for certain diseases only.   12 November 2007

Suriname Delegation: The Commission on Marcoeconomics and Health's typing of diseases is an economic one, designed to understand the current reward and incentive system when it pertains (the lack of) research. It has no therapeutic merit at all. In the small Caribbean societies and in Latin America, with relative high morbidity and mortality rates of Chronic, Non-Communicable Diseases, we do not only need innovation that is pertininent for use in our health systems, but even more, access to these products, to make sure that we have affordable health products for use by our professionals. We therefor strongly oppose any typing and listing of diseases, that may limit us in the design and implementation of additional and alternative incentive schemes to promote innovation and access to products for certain diseases only.

Ahmed Ogwell, head of international health relations at Kenya’s health ministry

Let me remind us that the reason why we are meeting and exchanging ideas is precisely because the current systems have failed to respond to the health needs of the poor.  Existing health products are too expensive for the poor and the so-called Types II and III diseases are not being given attention in research and development. I hope, chair, no one will put square brackets around that phrase. . . The health sector is the final common pathway of human endeavour.  If any sector fails, it becomes a health problem, be it in transport, environment, trade or even politics. . . It is also clear to us,” he added in prepared remarks, “that current proprietary regimes have also resulted in major health problems for Africa and the world. Avoiding facing the real issues will not address the original problems that led to the establishment of the IGWG.   10 November 2007.  (Quoted in IP-Watch)