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    PRESS RELEASE
     For Immediate Release:July 8, 2002
    Contact: Sharonann Lynch (Barcelona cell) +65 85 213 04

    How will the WHO deliver on medicines access?

    (Barcelona) At the XIVth International AIDS Conference, AIDS activists responded to the WHO's most recent analysis of their Accelerating Access Initiative and its announcement of support for scaling up treatment access to get HIV treatment to 3 million people in the developing world by 2005. The announcement was most recently made during a meeting of the Global Access Alliance, a new public private alliance formed by the WHO about treatment access in developing countries. "3 million by 2005 is unrealistic-but not because it can't be done. On the contrary, it can be done. But WHO's failure to offer bold leadership on treatment access means this plan has long odds," said Sharonann Lynch of Health GAP. "Without a major shift in its efforts on HIV treatment, this will be just another number, another broken promise."

    Activists denounced a history of WHO's refusals to prioritize HIV treatment access programs that focus on open competition among generic and proprietary bidders, facilitating procurement of lowest cost medicines, technical assistance, and other aspects proven to assist countries in establishing sustainable access to affordable HIV medicines.

    Activists pointed out that under the WHO-run Accelerating Access Initiative, treating 3 million people would take at least 100 years, as Accelerating Access has only provided treatment to about 30,000 people in two years.

    "WHO must be held accountable for its failings," said Allison Dinsmore of ACT UP Philadelphia. "Accelerating Access has failed miserably. The WHO knows what works on the ground-so where is the plan that will lead to life extending treatment access for millions who are dying?"

    "Poor countries need substantial technical assistance in order to get funding, to implement, and to monitor treatment access programs," said Asia Russell of Health GAP. "That is the WHO's job. But the WHO is refusing even to use its voice at the table of the WTO to insist on a workable solution to the problem of how to export generics to countries without drug manufacturing capacity."

    "The WHO is acting like Big Pharma-better at making grand statements than delivering results-or even the substantial roadmap to achieve those results," said Gaelle Krikorian from ACT UP Paris.

    "We don't need more partnerships," continued Krikorian, referring to the WHO's new Global Access Alliance. "What we need is for the WHO to stop pursuing failed alliances and start doing what works: prioritizing generic drug access, prioritizing treatment focused technical assistance, and showing real commitment on scaling up treatment now.

    The activists demanded a concrete plan from the WTO by October regarding how they will achieve the goal of treatment for 3 million in the developing world by 2005, as well as a commitment to providing free technical assistance to countries seeking support and guidance in creating sustainable drug access programs-including assembling applications to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria.


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