PHA-Exch> Secretary-General, drug companies agree to boost efforts to tackle HIV/AIDS

[Claudio Schuftan]

From: Vern Weitzel <vern.weitzel at gmail.com>
crossposted from: "[health-vn discussion group]" health-vn at cairo.anu.edu.au

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=28511&Cr=HIV&Cr1=

Secretary-General, drug companies agree to boost efforts to tackle HIV/AIDS

9 October 2008 – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and top executives from over
one dozen global pharmaceutical companies agreed today that greater efforts
must be made to combat HIV/AIDS, despite significant strides that have been
made in improving access to prevention and treatment.

Attending the meeting were 17 of the world's leading pharmaceutical and
diagnostic companies, including Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer, along with
representatives from the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO), the
UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the
Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).

"All participants agreed that increasing access to vaccines, diagnostics and
medicines is essential in scaling up prevention and treatment efforts," Mr.
Ban said in a statement issued following today's gathering.

Attendees also emphasized the importance of intellectual property in
promoting research and development into new therapeutic and diagnostic
options, he said.

The private sector has much to offer in the bid to boost access to
prevention and treatment, the Secretary-General noted. "More can be done,
especially to address shortages of the health workforce and improve
managerial capacities."

Important progress has been made since 2006, the last time there was a
high-level exchange between the UN and drug companies, he said.

The number of people receiving anti-retroviral treatment in low and middle
income nations has more than doubled from 1.3 million in 2006 to 3 million
by the end of last year. Additionally prices have been slashed for
first-line and paediatric antiretroviral drugs, as well as some second-line
medicines.

"We noted that despite the gains, the epidemic continues to outstrip our
best efforts," Mr. Ban said.

Only one third of those needing care in poorer nations are receiving it,
while every day, for every two people beginning antiretroviral treatment,
five more people are infected.

"Collectively, we still have more work to do," today's statement noted.

Pharmaceutical companies today pledged to invest more in research and
development of new HIV-related medicines; developing affordable means to
diagnose HIV and tuberculosis; and prevention technologies, such as
vaccines.

For its part, UN agencies committed to continue its advocacy and resource
mobilization efforts; enhance WHO's pre-qualification programme for
urgently-needed medicines and diagnostics; and promote information-sharing
among the UN, national regulatory authorities and pharmaceutical companies.
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