The right to medicines, or the right to profit from medicines

Trade ministers sitting down for discussions in Sydney this week could play a key role in improving access to vital medicines for millions of people across the world.

Ministers from 25 leading nations will look at the critical issue of how to revise WTO patent rules so that poor countries can more easily import affordable generic drugs. More than 15m people die each year from infectious diseases and 40m have HIV/AIDS – many of these people cannot afford the medicines that would save or prolong their lives.

To see the rest of the story, visit:

http://www.oxfam.org/eng/pr021112_right_to_medicine.htm

See related report, “People before profits” at:

http://www.maketradefair.com/spage/english/action13.asp?subcat=5&cat=1&select=1&special=yes