European Union and Developing States Call for Boosted Access to Anti-AIDS Drugs

On Wednesday in Geneva, 36 European, Latin American and African nations presented a draft resolution asking the World Health Organization's 192 member states to increase HIV/AIDS treatment by fully utilizing the rules granting access to cheaper drugs.

The proposal calls on countries to "use to the full the flexibilities" in the World Trade Organization's intellectual property agreement. These allow countries to waive patent laws in response to health emergencies like AIDS. The draft resolution also endorses "strengthening and expanding" WHO's list of antiretrovirals and other drugs judged to be of sufficient quality to be purchased by UN agencies for distribution in developing nations. That list, established two years ago, has been the target of strong opposition by some large pharmaceutical companies.

WHO's "pre-qualification" system reduces the time and cost of national regulatory approval. And because it includes both generic and brand-name drugs, it helps reduce prices.

The United States has not endorsed WHO's system, and US authorities defend using the Food and Drug Administration to approve drugs for purchase by President Bush's $15 billion global AIDS program. On Sunday, the United States said it would speed up its procedure for determining which antiretrovirals could be bought through the fund. FDA's "accelerated review process" will cover both US and foreign drug companies, including those that make generics in developing countries.

Sean Healy of Doctors Without Borders called the US move "a very positive thing for them to say" but noted that Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson did not endorse WHO's pre-qualification system.

The draft resolution is scheduled for a vote Friday.

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