Improving Access of the Poor to Essential Drugs and Key Drugs for Major Disease in Developing Countries

EUROPEAN COMMISSION - DIRECTORATE GENERAL FOR DEVELOPMENT

N~22

JUNE2000

IMPROVING ACCESS OF THE POOR TO ESSENTIAL DRUGS AND
KEY DRUGS FOR MAJOR DISEASES IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

the poor in developing countries continue to
lix in conditions where inadequate water
supplies, food insecurity, lack of access to
education - particularly for girls -, lack of access
to information, inadequate access to essential
health care and a polluted environment are the
norms of daily life. The combined impact leads
to high levels of morbidity and mortality and
poor health status.
Development assistance. while prop ded in an
increasinglv co-ordinated manner is. however.
reaching the poorest too slowly and in
inadequate amounts to significantly reduce
poverty and ill health burdens, such as HIV AIDS
Malaria. Tuberculosis and Maternal Mlortality.
In the past years the international community has
played a role in leveraging more support for
national and international health issues. including
Preventable Childhood diseases. Malaria and
AIDS. through increasing political visibility and
through specific initiatives, such as GAVI. Roll
Back Malanria and HIPC.
The objective of this briefing note is to give a
short outline of the kind of initiatives which could
be taken by major key players in the international
arena in order to improve the access of the poor to
essential drugs and drugs for major diseases.
Innovative financing mechanisms for drugs
Securing adequate financing through public
revenus and social health insurance is an uphill
struggle in most developing countries. Although
the increase in public and private health insurance
in those countries is a promising trend, donors
should explore the possibility to develop
endowment funds and other innovative
mechanisms for eradication of. specific
communicable diseases.,

Improving access to. and affordability of.
key drugs
An agreement on differential pricing policies
which would make the drugs available to
developing countries to fight against AIDS. could
substantially reduce the obstacles to affordability
for the poor.
The agreement reached in May 2000 between five
pharmaceutical companies and five LN Agencies
in order to significantlv improve access to and
availability of. a range of medicines by
substantially lowering prices, goes in the right
direction. Further efforts will be needed.
In the same context, the EC~ should support
covernments to enact legislation that allow them
to make use of the safeguards within the scope of
the WTO acreements (compulsory licensing and
parallel importing).
More investment for R&D for drugs and
vaccines
There is a need to create global mechanisms and
incentives in order to drive public and pnrivate
research and development into diseases which
affect developing countries disproportionately.
through innovative social ventures, licensing
agreements, incentives for early development of
vaccines and drugs.
All these efforts should be combined with actions
aimed at improving the health delivery systems,
in developing countries, with a continuing effort
on preventive work (girls' education, among
others) and adapted training.

Contacts
Lieve Fransen (Health/AIDS, population)
e-mail [email protected]
Philippe Darmuzey (Social development)

Gi2 3/5 Tel [phone]
G12 3/72 Tel [phone]

This briefing paper of the Directorate General for Development is not an official publication of the Commission.