EU approves drugs discounting in poor countries

Published: 1-Jul-2003
Regulatory


EU ministers have approved a regulation authorising the sale of discounted HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis medicines in poor countries with little pharmaceutical production capacity, while ensuring that these cheap drugs are not re-exported back to the EU. The legislation insists on the registration of medicines that are sold cheaply to developing countries, and requires them to be marked with a logo that can be easily identified by customs officials seeking to prevent illegal parallel trading.

Under the system, discounted medicines are either sold at a 75% lower rate than in OECD countries, or at the cost of production, plus 15%. It would also ban the re-importation of medicines from 76 countries including so-called 'least developed states'. EU Commissioner Poul Nielson said: 'We are setting an example with a practical means of helping poorer countries struggling with public health crises.'

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