WTO/TRIPS AGREEMENT AND ACCESS TO MEDICINES: APPROPRIATE POLICY RESPONSES.

Report of the Regional Consultation held in Colombo, Sri Lanka on 17-19 April 2003.

Report Prepared by:Robert Weissman

Published by TWN/HAIAP
ISBN: 983-2729-36-X(TWN)
ISBN:955-1127-00-5(HAIAP)
Dimensions: 16.5cm x 24cm
Pages:124

Price:

Third World countries US$13
All other countries US$19.50
(Prices are inclusive of postage costs by air mail)

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A Regional Consultation on "WTO/TRIPS Agreement and Access to Medicines : Appropriate Policy Responses" was held in Colombo from 17-19 April 2003.

It was hosted by the Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka.Health Action International Asia-Pacific (HAAIP) and the Third World Network (TWN) were the co-organizers while the Department of Essential Drugs and Medicines Policy, Drug Action Programme, (EDM/DAP), World Health Organization(WHO), Geneva and the South-East Asian Regional office of WHO, New Delhi, co-sponsored the consultation.

Among the participants were senior health and trade officials and representatives of health-related NGOs and social movements from 18 Asian and Pacific countries, as well as international experts and resource persons.

This is a summary report of the proceedings.

CONTENTS

NOTE

Session I :Opening Remarks

1.Opening Remarks

Session II:Public Health , Pharmaceuticals and Patents :An Overview of Issues and Concerns

1.The Relationship Between Patents and Prices

2.Overview of WTO Agreements and Implications for National Industrial, Public ealth and Development Policies

3.Access to Medicines and Intellectual Property:The Debate and the Key Players

4.WHO and Health: Pharmaceutical Policies in the Context of Globalization and TRIPS

5.Question and Answers

Session III : TRIPS and Public Health :Appropriate Policy Responses and the Manual on Good Practices in Public-Health Sensitive Patent Laws

1.Policy Needs and Options for Patents and Access to Medicines

2.Model Legal Provisions and Administrative Practices for Patent Laws

3.Questions and Answers

Session IV: The Doha Declarations on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health: Maximizing the Flexibilities in TRIPS

1.Key Elements and National Policy Implications of the Doha Declaration

2.Questions and Answers

Session V: Balancing Patent Protection and Public Health Considerations: Use of TRIPS-Consistent Measures Post-Doha 

1.Patents, TRIPS , Doha and Access to Medicines:UK Models

2.The US Experience wit Compulsory Licensing and Government Use

3.Review of National Patent Legislation in South and South East Asia

4.Comments

5.Preparing for the Post-2005 Scenario:Choices and Challenges in Integrating Public Health Considerations in Patent Legislation

6.Discussion

Session VI:Domestic Pharmaceutical Production and Capacity:Issues, Experiences and Prospects

1.Thailand Experience in Local ARV Production: A Long-Term Solution in Implementing Successful ARV Programmes

2.India's Pharmaceutical Industry: Current Scenario and Future Prospects

3.Indonesia's Pharmaceutical Industry and Local Production Capacity

4.National Drug Policy of Bangladesh and the Multinationals

5.Domestic ARVs Production and Capacity of China

6.Questions and Answers

Session VII:Working Group Discussions/Country Reports

1.Group A

2.Gropu B

3.Group C

4.Discussion

Session VIII:Panel Discussion on TRIPS Agreement, Public Health and Pharmaceuticals in Asia Pacific

Session IX:Main Conclusions of the Consultation

Annexes

A - Conclusions and Recommendations

B - List of Participants