WHA68: Greek Minister of Health – Panagiotis Kouroumplis – calls for de-linkage of R&D from the price of health technologies
On Monday, 18 May 2015, the Greek Minister of Health, Panagiotis Kouroumplis, delivered the following speech at the World Health Assembly in Geneva, explicitly calling for the de-linkage of the “cost of R&D from the final price of medicines” while highlighting the deleterious effects of austerity measures eroding public health systems, counter to the theme of WHA68, “Resilient Health Systems”.
Here is his speech in full:
Madam Director General, dear colleagues, excellencies, ladies and gentlemen
KEI TPP Briefing note 2015:1 Compulsory licenses on patents and the 3-step test
This is a briefing note prepared for TPP negotiators, addressing a single but important issue, the standards for issuing compulsory licenses in the TPP. Continue Reading
Letter from Senator Bernie Sanders to the VA, asking for compulsory licenses on Hepatitis C drugs.
Attached is the text of a letter sent by Senator Bernie Sanders to Robert A. McDonald, the Secretary, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, asking the Secretary “to use your authority as Secretary of Veterans Affairs to break the patents on Hepatitis C medications for the treatment of veterans suffering with the disease.”
UACT Comments to DHHS on WHA: Agenda Item 13.4 Assessment of Progress in Prevention & Control of NCDs
To prepare for the upcoming 68th World Health Assembly (WHA), the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services held a Stakeholder Listening Session on Friday, May 8, 2015, from 10:30am – 12pm in the HHS Humphrey Building – 200 Independence Ave, SW, Washington, DC 20201. All Agenda items for the upcoming WHA are here:
http://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA68/A68_1-en.pdf
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KEI Comments to DHHS on WHA Agenda 17.5 (Global Strategy and Plan of Action on Public Health, Innovation and IP)
On Friday May 8, 2015, the US Department of Health and Human Services held a listening session to solicit input on the agenda items for the upcoming 68th World Health Assembly. KEI delivered five interventions covering a range of critical WHA topics. The full provisional agenda of the 68th WHA can be accessed here.
KEI comments to DHHS on WHA agenda 17.4, the Consultative Expert Working Group on Research and Development
Re: 17.4 Follow-up of the report of the Consultative Expert Working Group on Research and Development: Financing and Coordination Document A68/34
My name is James Love, from Knowledge Ecology International. I wanted to discuss the negotiations on new approaches to funding medical R&D.
I will begin with the much delayed discussions about a WHO R&D treaty, which are supposed to resume in 2016.
We have suggestions for some changes in the discussion, to move things forward.
KEI Comments on DHHS Session on WHA68, agenda item 14.1, regarding collection of economic data
On Friday May 8, 2015, the US Department of Health and Human Services held a listening session to solicit input on the agenda items for the upcoming 68th World Health Assembly. KEI delivered five interventions covering a range of critical WHA topics. The full provisional agenda of the 68th WHA can be accessed here:
KEI Comments to DHHS on WHA68 agenda 11.2, Framework of Engagement with Non-State Actors
On Friday May 8, 2015, the US Department of Health and Human Services held a listening session to solicit input on the agenda items for the upcoming 68th World Health Assembly. KEI delivered five interventions covering a range of critical WHA topics. The full provisional agenda of the 68th WHA can be accessed here: http://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA68/A68_1-en.pdf
WHO Expert Committtee adds trastuzumab, imatinib, daclatasvir, sofosbuvir, bedaquiline and delaminid to EML
On Friday, 8 May 2015, the World Health Organization (WHO) unveiled its 19th WHO Model of Essential Medicines (April 2015).
With respect to cancer drugs (Section 8.2, Cytoxic and Adjuvant Medicines), the Executive Summary noted that the Committee added 16 new medicines.
WHO donors in 2014 (US, Gates Foundation, UK, GAVI and Canada): Setting the agenda for global public health?
In preparation for the 68th World Health Assembly, to be convened in Geneva from 18 May 2015 to 26 May 2015, the World Health Organization (WHO) prepared a document (A68/INF./1, 1 May 2015), entitled “Annex to the Financial Report for the year ended 31 December 2014, Voluntary contributions by fund and by contributor). Continue Reading