Commonwealth Secretary-General: Life-saving WTO drugs agreement put in peril by a single country

02/101 31 December 2002
Commonwealth Secretary-General: Life-saving WTO drugs agreement put in peril by a single country
"Denying people in impoverished countries access to life-saving medicines is unacceptable," Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon said today, responding to the news that one country out of 144 WTO members is blocking a deal to supply poor countries with vital drugs at affordable prices.

"143 out of 144 WTO countries cannot be wrong," said the Secretary-General. "If the United States of America would only join this powerful humanitarian consensus, millions of lives could be saved.

"The fact is, many poorer countries do not have the capacity to manufacture, in sufficient volume and quality, the essential pharmaceuticals their people need. Recognising this, Trade Ministers at Doha made a practical and compassionate decision: to create a mechanism allowing these countries to make effective use of compulsory licensing under the TRIPS Agreement to provide affordable drugs," the Secretary-General continued.

"We recognise the value of patents to those who spend considerable resources, time and energy in research and development. But a better balance is certainly needed between the ownership of patents and the need for worldwide availability of affordable medicines. This agreement would have eased global patent rules on drugs, potentially saving millions of lives, while not harming pharmaceutical companies' profitability nor removing the incentive to continue to invest properly in research and development. It is not too late for the United States to provide the leadership required to implement this international commitment, which is motivated by concern for our fellow human beings. We need agreements like these if we are to convince the majority that globalisation with a human face is possible."

Mr McKinnon warned that any attempt to redefine the outcome of several months of intense negotiations, which culminated in a consensus agreement on the scope of public health problems, could unravel the delicate balance achieved on many other issues at Doha.

"It is in the long term interests of the world's richest countries to provide affordable drugs for poor countries. Acting with compassion at critical junctures like these will not only save lives but helps create global stability."