WHA68: Greek Minister of Health – Panagiotis Kouroumplis – calls for de-linkage of R&D from the price of health technologies
On Monday, 18 May 2015, the Greek Minister of Health, Panagiotis Kouroumplis, delivered the following speech at the World Health Assembly in Geneva, explicitly calling for the de-linkage of the “cost of R&D from the final price of medicines” while highlighting the deleterious effects of austerity measures eroding public health systems, counter to the theme of WHA68, “Resilient Health Systems”.
Here is his speech in full:
Madam Director General, dear colleagues, excellencies, ladies and gentlemen
KEI Comments to DHHS on WHA Agenda 17.5 (Global Strategy and Plan of Action on Public Health, Innovation and IP)
On Friday May 8, 2015, the US Department of Health and Human Services held a listening session to solicit input on the agenda items for the upcoming 68th World Health Assembly. KEI delivered five interventions covering a range of critical WHA topics. The full provisional agenda of the 68th WHA can be accessed here.
KEI Comments on DHHS Session on WHA68, agenda item 14.1, regarding collection of economic data
On Friday May 8, 2015, the US Department of Health and Human Services held a listening session to solicit input on the agenda items for the upcoming 68th World Health Assembly. KEI delivered five interventions covering a range of critical WHA topics. The full provisional agenda of the 68th WHA can be accessed here:
KEI Comments to DHHS on WHA68 agenda 11.2, Framework of Engagement with Non-State Actors
On Friday May 8, 2015, the US Department of Health and Human Services held a listening session to solicit input on the agenda items for the upcoming 68th World Health Assembly. KEI delivered five interventions covering a range of critical WHA topics. The full provisional agenda of the 68th WHA can be accessed here: http://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA68/A68_1-en.pdf
WHO donors in 2014 (US, Gates Foundation, UK, GAVI and Canada): Setting the agenda for global public health?
In preparation for the 68th World Health Assembly, to be convened in Geneva from 18 May 2015 to 26 May 2015, the World Health Organization (WHO) prepared a document (A68/INF./1, 1 May 2015), entitled “Annex to the Financial Report for the year ended 31 December 2014, Voluntary contributions by fund and by contributor). Continue Reading
2015: NIH refuses to give information about principals in company seeking exclusive license to HCV patents
California AB 463 (Pharmacetical Cost Transparency Act of 2015) Held Over as Two-Year Bill
Yesterday, under intense pressure from the powerful pharmaceutical industry lobby, California Assembly Member Dan Chiu withheld bill AB 463, the Pharmaceutical Cost Transparency Act of 2015. A vote on the bill had already been postponed for a week in order to allow Assembly Member Chiu more time to address various concerns raised by colleagues in the Health Committee. Continue Reading
2015: Kassy Perry, speaking on behalf of ?, opposing AB 463, on transparency of drug R&D costs and subsidies
During the debate of California bill AB 463, on the Pharmaceutical Cost Transparency Act of 2015, Kassy Perry was using Twitter to attack the bill, posting links to and repeating pharmaceutical industry talking points. Who is Kassy Perry? A founder of Perry Communications, a Sacramento public relations and lobbying firm. This is her Twitter profile:
Public Citizen, National Physicians Alliance, Other Civil Society Groups Write Letters in Support of California AB 463
In addition to the numerous groups and institutions that stood in support of AB 463 (Pharmaceutical Cost Transparency Act of 2015) at the California Assembly Health Committee hearing on April 21st, six civil society groups that we are aware of have submitted letters or statements in support of the bill.
In alphabetical order, these include:
1. American Medical Students Association (AMSA)
2. National Council of Asian Pacific Islander Physicians (NCAPIP)
3. National Physicians Alliance (NPA)
4. Public Citizen
5. Universities Allied for Essential Medicines (UAEM)
Continue Reading
KEI Notes on California Assembly Health Committee Markup on AB 463 Pharmaceutical Cost Transparency Act of 2015
Yesterday (April 21,2015) the California Assembly held a Health Committee hearing to discuss various bills being offered, including Assembly Member Dan Chiu’s AB 463, titled the Pharmaceutical Cost Transparency Act of 2015.
AB 463 calls for the pharmaceutical industry to annually report its costs for developing and manufacturing a drug (for any course of treatment over $10k). The bill seeks to provide audited information on R&D costs, a topic for which the industry often makes unsupported and exaggerated claims.