G8 summit
8. June 2007
Setting the correct course for combating AIDS in Africa
"Universal access, i.e. access to AIDS medication for the entire African population by 2010, is the joint concern of the G8 nations, international organizations and the pharmaceutical industry. To realize this demanding objective, the G8 summit has given important signals. This will also enable our companies to make an even more comprehensive contribution than in the past," Dr. Dr. Andreas Barner, chairman of the German Association of Research-based Pharmaceutical Companies (VFA) commented on the declaration "Growth and Responsibility in Africa" of the G8 summit in Heiligendamm.
"The declaration acknowledges that, for many years, our industry has done a lot to facilitate access to AIDS medication for patients in Africa. It also shows that our intensive work on new pharmaceuticals and vaccines against HIV is noticed," Barner said. As required in the final declaration, the companies will fully continue their activities in both areas. "To come close to the goal of universal access to AIDS medication requires predictions regarding the necessary drug quantities. For the manufacturers, more efficient production planning also means being able to calculate prices with a more narrow margin. Therefore, it's a good thing that the final declaration encourages the World Health Organization and the aid organizations to establish a systematic demand planning concept."
Barner continued: "The final declaration rightly stressed that universal access can not be imposed on the African countries from the outside but must be desired and supported by the respective governments." The declaration specifically mentioned the expansion of the health care system and the elimination of widespread importation duties and taxes on pharmaceuticals as effective contributions of the affected countries to improve the access situation. "It is important that the countries do the preparative groundwork for more international aid with the participation of our companies," Barner said.
As an example for the commitment of research-based pharmaceutical companies on behalf of Africa, Barner pointed out the Accelerating Access Initiative (AAI). As part of this initiative, which was established in 2000, seven original manufacturers provide HIV-infected individuals in developing countries with AIDS medication at "no profit, no loss" conditions. Today, AAI supplies more than 800,000 patients (more than 460,000 of them in Africa) and therefore more than 40 percent of all patients who have access to HIV therapy at all in developing countries (compare http://www.vfa.de/pk20070531).
The AAI example also shows that the role of patients in the general access to AIDS therapy is mostly misestimated, Barner said. "Patents do not obstruct access for poor patients. The opposite is true: If there were no patents, the companies would have likely been unable to develop HIV medication. And - everybody agrees on this - additional research is extremely urgent and must not be jeopardized by the discussion on patents."
A current blog, in which members of the German parliament as well as representatives from industry and non-government organizations have participated, also addresses the role of patents for access to pharmaceuticals at http://blogs.vfa.de.
The summit declaration "Growth and Responsibility in Africa" is available at http://www.g-8.de/Webs/G8/DE/G8Gipfel/GipfelDokumente/gipfel-dokumente.html; HIV/AIDS is addressed from Section 48 onwards.
Stand: 08.06.2007
"The declaration acknowledges that, for many years, our industry has done a lot to facilitate access to AIDS medication for patients in Africa. It also shows that our intensive work on new pharmaceuticals and vaccines against HIV is noticed," Barner said. As required in the final declaration, the companies will fully continue their activities in both areas. "To come close to the goal of universal access to AIDS medication requires predictions regarding the necessary drug quantities. For the manufacturers, more efficient production planning also means being able to calculate prices with a more narrow margin. Therefore, it's a good thing that the final declaration encourages the World Health Organization and the aid organizations to establish a systematic demand planning concept."
Barner continued: "The final declaration rightly stressed that universal access can not be imposed on the African countries from the outside but must be desired and supported by the respective governments." The declaration specifically mentioned the expansion of the health care system and the elimination of widespread importation duties and taxes on pharmaceuticals as effective contributions of the affected countries to improve the access situation. "It is important that the countries do the preparative groundwork for more international aid with the participation of our companies," Barner said.
As an example for the commitment of research-based pharmaceutical companies on behalf of Africa, Barner pointed out the Accelerating Access Initiative (AAI). As part of this initiative, which was established in 2000, seven original manufacturers provide HIV-infected individuals in developing countries with AIDS medication at "no profit, no loss" conditions. Today, AAI supplies more than 800,000 patients (more than 460,000 of them in Africa) and therefore more than 40 percent of all patients who have access to HIV therapy at all in developing countries (compare http://www.vfa.de/pk20070531).
The AAI example also shows that the role of patients in the general access to AIDS therapy is mostly misestimated, Barner said. "Patents do not obstruct access for poor patients. The opposite is true: If there were no patents, the companies would have likely been unable to develop HIV medication. And - everybody agrees on this - additional research is extremely urgent and must not be jeopardized by the discussion on patents."
A current blog, in which members of the German parliament as well as representatives from industry and non-government organizations have participated, also addresses the role of patents for access to pharmaceuticals at http://blogs.vfa.de.
The summit declaration "Growth and Responsibility in Africa" is available at http://www.g-8.de/Webs/G8/DE/G8Gipfel/GipfelDokumente/gipfel-dokumente.html; HIV/AIDS is addressed from Section 48 onwards.
Stand: 08.06.2007
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