Kristina M Lybecker

Department of Economics and Business, Colorado College, 14 E. Cache la Poudre Street, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80903 USA. Tel:  +1-719-389-6445  Fax: +1-719-389-6927  E-mail: Kristina.Lybecker@coloradocollege.edu

International Journal of Health Research, March 2008; 1(1): 5-10

Received: 8-Feb-08        Revision received: 23-Feb-08        Accepted for publication: 25-Feb-08

Commentary

The poor and vulnerable, especially in developing nations, have little access to innovative medicines.  Last year the World Health Organization (WHO) established the Intergovernmental Working Group on Public Health, Innovation and Intellectual Property (IGWG) to “draw up a global strategy and plan of action aimed at, inter alia, securing an enhanced and sustainable basis for needs-driven, essential health research and development relevant to diseases that disproportionately affect developing countries.” Unfortunately the policies under consideration are short-sighted and will undermine progress toward achieving health for all.  The IGWG must focus on mechanisms that both enhance access to medicines and preserve the incentives for innovation.  Regrettably, the existing Draft Strategy falls short.  Specifically, the policies surrounding intellectual property rights and domestic production must be reexamined. 

Keywords: Access to medicines, developing countries, domestic production, intellectual property rights, public health, WHO.