Home  |  Site Map  |  Contact Us  |  Social Media  |  MSF Offices  |  xml  

Special Report

Neither Expeditious, nor a Solution

The WTO august 30th decision is unworkable

August 1, 2006

Canada was the first G8 country to amend its national laws to implement the World Trade Organization’s August 30th decision, allowing generic versions of patented drugs to be manufactured and exported under compulsory license.

Médecins Sans Frontières decided to place an order under the Jean Chrétien Pledge to Africa for a triple fixed-dose combination antiretroviral drug for patients in its HIV/AIDS projects. That was in 2004, over two years ago.

Not one pill has been exported, and not one patient has yet benefited from the Canadian law.

The WTO August 30th decision does not address the problems faced by developing countries in accessing medicines at affordable prices. The world still lacks an expeditious solution to exporting patented life-saving medicines.

To view the full pdf, click here.

 

Tags: HIV/AIDS, Access to Medicines

Share this:

Share
Print

Subscribe to
Doctors Without Borders


Doctors Without Borders
in your inbox:

Get our monthly newsletter of top stories.


Or click here to receive all MSF updates via email.