UN Member States adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These ambitious goals aim to “end poverty and hunger…to ensure that all human beings can fulfill their potential in dignity and equality…” by 2030. Notably, governments also committed to “reaching the furthest behind first”.
Public health advocates, academics, patients, governments and others this week presented further ideas to the United Nations Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel on Access to Medicines on ways to break the longstanding pattern of expensive medical products around the world as a way to pay for research and development.
The latest issue of our Newsletter – December 2015 – is out! Follow the link below to get caught up on updates and key developments related to HIV and the law. In this issue you’ll find a compilation of recent news articles and stories of implementation of the recommendations of the Global Commission on HIV and the Law, with links to access the full articles on the web
The United Nations Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel on Access to Medicines is inviting contributions for consideration that address the policy incoherence between international human rights law, trade rules and public health objectives regarding the innovation of and access to health technologies. In particular the High-Level Panel will consider contributions that promote research, development, innovation and increase access to medicines, vaccines, diagnostics and related health technologies to improve the health and wellbeing for all, as envisaged by Sustainable Development Goal 3, and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development more broadly.
Promoting competition within the pharmaceutical market has proven to be an effective strategy in reducing the price and increasing the availability of essential medicines. The introduction of generic medicines led to significant reductions in the price of HIV treatment, which has contributed to the remarkable increase in HIV treatment coverage. In 2000, HIV treatment was priced at US$ 10,000 per patient per year, but competition from generic introduction has reduced prices dramatically. Most recently, UNDP has been able to procure HIV treatments for below US$100 per patient per year.