Renewed commitment to improved access to medicines

The UK government and the world's largest pharmaceutical companies have agreed to continue to work together to help increase access to essential medicines for the world's poorest countries.

The commitment was made with the launch of the UK government's new framework document 'Increasing people's access to essential medicines in developing countries'. It provides guidance for pharmaceutical companies on how they can increase access by working in partnership with other stakeholders.

Every year, up to 1.7bn people do not have access to the medicines they need, while the world health organisation estimates that over 10.5m lives could be saved every year in the developing world if people had the medicines they required. This access crisis is caused by a variety of factors, including a lack of funding and a lack of healthcare infrastructure. Political will by leaders in developing countries is also vital.

The commitment and guidance seeks to help to increase access to essential medicines in developing countries by identifying practical ways in which the government and industry can work together to help get the medicines to those who need them most. It encourages companies to play their part in the global response by building on the good work of many in the pharmaceutical industry, including by:

• Engaging in 'differential pricing', where medicines are sold at lower prices in developing country markets;

• Investing in research and development for diseases affecting developing countries;

• And working to support health and development goals set by developing countries.

The document says that addressing access to medicines is the responsibility of a wide range of stakeholders, including national governments, donor countries, NGOs, the private sector and multilateral organisations such as The World Bank and WHO.

Prime Minister, Tony Blair said: 'Pharmaceutical companies in the UK and abroad have made clear progress in getting medicines to the poorest in the world. There is always more that can be done by all stakeholders. I welcome the industry's support in developing practical recommendations for pharmaceutical companies to get more medicines to those who need them.

'Improved access requires a contribution from all parties, not just the pharmaceutical industry. The UK government will do its part by investing in health systems in developing countries and by supporting the framework needed to encourage companies to invest in r&d and to supply medicines at differential prices to the world's poorest countries.'

The UK government's framework for good practice has been developed with the support and input of the pharmaceutical industry, including GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Astrazeneca, Merck & Co, Pfizer, the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) and the American Pharmaceutical Group (APG) who welcomed the government's framework and committed to continue to work with the government and others to increase access to their medicines and continue to invest in r&d into diseases of the developing world.

The launch of the framework is part of the UK's wider work to increase access to medicines. It sets out how the country will continue to fulfil its commitment to finding sustainable solutions for increasing access to medicines by:

• Increasing its overseas aid budget to £6.5bn a year by 2007/8;

• Committing to spending £1.5bn to tackle aids over the next three years, including support for antiretroviral therapy and treatment for opportunistic infections;

• Spending £1.5bn since 1997 to improve health services that deliver medicines to people in developing countries;

• Working to increase the amount of international development finance available by promoting the international financing facility and greater debt relief for developing countries; and

• Signing up to the UN target to spend 0.7% of GDP on international aid. The UK will reach this target by 2013.

Dr Richard Barker, director general of the ABPI said: 'The pharmaceutical industry has a proud record of working in partnership with many organisations, including the UK government, to make a major contribution to tackling disease in the developing world. All stakeholders - including national governments, international organisations and non-government bodies - need to work in partnership. It is in this context that I welcome the launch of this document which provides a constructive framework within which we can all continue our work to help meet the health needs of people in the world's poorest countries.'

The full document can be accessed by following the link below.