http://www.oxfam.org/
Médecins Sans Frontières
JOINT NGO STATEMENTS
20th September 2001
Joint Press Statement by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), Oxfam and Third World Network (TWN)
TRIPS Council Special Discussion on Access to Medicines, September 19, 2001
A small number of rich countries, led by the United States and Switzerland, are obstructing progress at the WTO on the controversial subject of how patent rules affect access to medicines in poor countries. Yesterday, at the TRIPS Council Special Discussion on access to medicines, proposals from over fifty developing countries were countered by a statement from five industrialised countries that echoed the well-rehearsed views of the international pharmaceutical companies. Developing-country delegates left the conference room voicing a deep sense of frustration at the intransigence of the US and Switzerland, whose arguments had been seconded by Japan, Australia and Canada.
MSF, TWN and Oxfam fear that a unique opportunity to ensure that TRIPS does not prejudice public health in poor countries is being wasted. Michael Bailey of Oxfam commented that ëthe US-sponsored paper presented yesterday, which was not even a complete draft, showed disdain for the concerns of the developing world, and risks bringing the TRIPS Agreement into further disreputeí. The United States and Switzerland argue that there is essentially no problem with the Agreement, and no need for clarifications at Doha.
52 developing countries had produced a well-argued and balanced proposition for how the WTO patents rules (known as the TRIPS Agreement) should be interpreted in a way that guarantees the ability of governments to ensure access to affordable medicines. One of their demands was for WTO members to state, without qualification, that the TRIPS Agreement shall not prevent governments from taking measures necessary to protect public health. Sadly, even this met with opposition. The developing-country group, which included the African, Asian, Caribbean and Latin American nations, asked WTO members to support their proposal to the forthcoming Ministerial Conference in Doha, where it would be endorsed as a free-standing declaration.
In the meeting, the European Union accepted some of the concerns of developing countries but stopped well short of full endorsement. ëWe can see a gap between the US and EU positions, but the EU has to come off the fence and support the developing countriesí said Ellen ít Hoen of MSF. ëMany lives depend on the political will of WTO Members to reach a clear agreement at Doha.í
ëThe response of the industrialized countries to the problems with TRIPS is the litmus test for whether the WTO will put peopleís needs before the commercial interests of its most powerful members,í said Cecilia Oh of Third World Network. ëThe refusal of the five wealthy trading nations to prioritise public health can only increase public scepticism about the social benefits of the TRIPS Agreementí.
For further information, please contact:
Ellen ët Hoen (MSF), +33 6 22 375 871 Matt Grainger (Oxfam GB), +44 1865 311311 Cecilia Oh (TWN), +41 (0) 76 523 1233