Healthy Skepticism Library item: 8992

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: Journal Article

Cawthorne P, Ford N, Limpananont J, Tienudom N, Purahong W.
WHO must defend patients' interests, not industry
Lancet 2007 Mar 24; 369:(9566):974-975
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6T1B-4N9XF65-9&_user=10&_coverDate=03%2F30%2F2007&_rdoc=9&_fmt=full&_orig=browse&_srch=doc-info(%23toc%234886%232007%23996300433%23646931%23FLA%23display%23Volume)&_cdi=4886&_sort=d&_docanchor=&_ct=38&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=198d30e029c3c1b712b405c760067573

Abstract:

Notes:

“Is WHO’s Director-General, Margaret Chan, more concerned about the needs of patients or the interests of industry? Addressing an audience in Bangkok in February, she stressed the need to negotiate with drug companies over access to medicines, and that the use of compulsory licensing to import and manufacture generic versions of patented drugs must be ‘balanced’.

Her statement was in reference to the Thai Government’s recent issuing of compulsory licences for efavirenz, lopinavir/ritonavir, and clopidogrel.
Thailand is one of the few developing countries that have achieved universal access to antiretrovirals, but access to efavirenz (needed by around 15% of people on treatment) and lopinavir/ritonavir (for the increasing number of people who need second-line) are limited because of high price.

There are several reasons why Chan’s comments are misplaced…”