Patients must set the agenda on non-communicable diseases

The International Alliance of Patient Organizations (IAPO) yesterday held a side meeting at the World Health Assembly in Geneva in regards to the role of patients in preventing and managing non-communicable diseases.  The press release from this event is attached below.  More updates from the World Health Assembly can be followed on twitter via #worldhealthassembly, [...]

Brazil expands access to cancer treatments

Under a massive expansion of its oncology services, Brazil’s national health care system (SUS) will offer cancer patients access to nine new treatments and expand coverage for 66 already-covered procedures, including 46 chemotherapy treatments.  (source:  PharmaTimes) The nine treatments which are to be made available for the first time through the SUS include three for [...]

Cutting drug prices hampers innovation: study

Cutting pharmaceutical prices in the way European governments are doing now will severely reduce the number of new drugs making it to market.  There is a direct link between strict regulation and low innovation in the sector, according to a study by a Berlin-based European School of Management and Technology Competition Analysis (EMST CA) and [...]

New research unit boosts hope for patients with rare diseases

On Monday, Pfizer announced the creation of a new research unit which will specifically focus on the treatment of orphan diseases — those that affect fewer than 200,000 patients worldwide. Of the more than 6000 diseases classified as orphan diseases, fewer than ten percent have therapies that directly address the underlying disease.  Pfizer stated that [...]

Health, Safety and IP – a public consultation

The newly appointed Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator in the U.S. has recently initiated a public consultation on the health-related costs and risks of intellectual property infringement.  The consultation (open to individuals, patient groups, NGOs, academics and other interested parties) is asking for comments on: – safety issues resulting from IP infringement (such as counterfeit and/or [...]

Patients’ Manifesto launched in European Parliament

The European Patient Forum (EPF) launched a patients’ manifesto (or bill or rights) in the European Parliament yesterday.  The following press release from the EPF outlines their call to action for the empowerment and protection of patients across Europe: (Sept. 16, 2008)  The European Patients’ Forum launched today a Patients Manifesto in the European Parliament outlining [...]

What was the final outcome of the IGWG anyway?

After all the talk, all the negotiations late into the night, all the lobbying and the mud slinging, what actually happened to the IGWG at the end of the 61st World Health Assembly – and what does it mean for patients around the world?  According to the WHO web site, the “Global Strategy on public [...]

New Government in Thailand Supports the Role of Medical Innovation in Improving Patient Outcomes

A recent editorial in the Wall Street Journal Asia (Good Medicine for Thailand) commends recent efforts on behalf of the Thai government to improve support for drug research and development and highlights the importance of medical innovation in improving health care delivery and patient outcomes. It appears the new government in Thailand is starting to [...]

Report on the IGWG

The World Health Organization recently posted a news release stating that: the <World> Health Assembly produced a public health breakthrough by providing a platform for removing barriers and using innovative methods to encourage research, development and access to medicines for the common diseases of the developing world. The public health, innovation and intellectual property strategy [...]

Resolution on counterfeit medicine

On May 20th a draft resolution on counterfeit medical products was submitted to the World Health Assembly by the nations of Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates.  As the WHA turns to the challenges surrounding counterfeit pharmaceuticals, it is valuable to reflect on the threat counterfeit drugs pose.  In particular, it is [...]