Access to Essential Medicines

April 30, 2013

This week, the McGill Chapter of Universities Allied for Essential Medicines explored some of the issues associated with access to essential medicines, equitable licensing, access to desperately needed drugs in developing countries, and the Trans-Pacific Partnership campaign. We interviewed Rachel Kiddell-Monroe, the president of the Universities Allied for Essential Medicines. She discussed some pertinent questions related to the role of universities in global health. She also explained to us the work of Universities Allied for Essential Medicines, and the link between business, science and access to essential drugs.

To learn more about UAEM�s Global Accessing Licensing Framework, you can read page 182 of the World Health Organization�s April 2012 CEWG Report.

The second part of the show features Judit Rius Sanjuan, the current US Manager of the MSF Access Campaign. The organization strives to increase access and the development of crucial medicines, diagnostic tests and vaccines for developing countries, with belief that medicine is not a luxury. Judit provided technical assistance to developing countries in intellectual property law at the World Health Organization and the World Intellectual Property Organization. In our interview, she discussed the Transpacific Partnership - a free trade agreement currently being conducted in secret between 11 Asian-Pacific countries. Leaked texts have revealed aggressive measures in the field of intellectual property, which, if passed, may threaten public health safeguards and make medicines unaffordable to millions.

If you're interested to get involve with the McGill Chapter of Universities Allied for Essential Medicines, please email uaem.mcgill@gmail.com
You can download the April 30th, 2013 episode or stream it in the player below: