Monday, 17 May 2010 - As the 63rd World Health Assembly, the annual gathering of 193 member states of World Health Organisation (WHO) began in Geneva, HAI issued a statement on Public health, innovation and intellectual property.
Cape Town 11 May 2010 – A shortage of over 80 medicines is being experienced in public health facilities in South Africa.
According to an article by IPS, the medicines which are out of stock in public pharmacies include; flu vaccinations, medication for tuberculosis and high blood pressure. The severity of shortages varies from province to province and hospital to hospital, depending on the leadership and skills levels of management.
Experts blame the shortage on a number of factors, including a lack of trained pharmacists, an ineffective tendering process and the inability of some pharmaceutical companies to deliver drugs.
May 2010 - We, the undersigned organizations are very concerned about the nature and extent of WHO¹s involvement in issues pertaining to counterfeit medical products. We recognize that work must be undertaken under WHO's leadership to ensure availability of quality, safe and efficacious pharmaceuticals but we fear that WHO¹s involvement in the issue of ³Counterfeits² will have adverse consequences for access to affordable medicines while failing to address the very real problem of proliferation of pharmaceuticals with compromised quality, safety and efficacy.
View the open letter to Dr. Margaret Chan, Director General of the World Heath Organization
 April-June 2010 edition |
The goal of Practical Pharmacy is to provide accessible, objective and accurate information on medicines issues for front-line health workers who may not have any pharmaceutical training. In this issue we focus on medicines donations and highlight good medicines donation practices. Medicines donations sent to “help”developing countries can actually do more harm than good if proper guidelines are not followed. Medicines donations are necessary and valued when they accurately meet the recipient’s needs. However, guidelines should be followed and international regulations developed to ensure that donations are effective, safe and useful to those most in need. In this Issue:
|
An activist outside the high court after the anti-counterfeit case rulingLUSAKA, Apr 30, 2010 - Zambia has joined the list of countries in Africa that have been pushing for enactment of anti-counterfeit legislation which activists fear will undermine access to more affordable generic medicines.According to an article by Inter Press Service (IPS), Zambia is formulating an anti-counterfeit draft law which will include medicines, in spite of the controversy that has surrounded similar laws in East Africa and the fact that there is existing legislation dealing with counterfeiting.
Uganda 29 April 2010 - Uganda’s trade minister has added his voice to those opposing the controversial Counterfeit Goods Bill on the grounds that it will threaten their access to generic medicines and right to life. The bill, drafted with funding from the European Union, suggests criminal penalties for counterfeiting.
29 APRIL 2010 GENEVA – A new publication that lists medicines formulated for children is being made available online by UNICEF and the World Health Organization, to help doctors and organizations obtain some of the 240 essential medicines that can save the lives of children.According to a report published in the WHO website, an estimated 9 million children die each year from preventable and treatable causes. Improved availability and access to safe child-specific medicines is still far from reality for many children in poor countries.
Activists outside the High Court after the anticounterfeit case rulingNairobi, April 23, 2010 - Health Action International (HAI) Africa welcomes today's ruling by High Court Judge Roseline Wendo stopping the Kenyan government from implementing the Anti-Counterfeit Act, 2008 with respect to generic medicines, until a case filed in July 2009 by three people living with HIV is heard and determined.The petitioners are seeking to have the A-C Act 2008 declared unconstitutional on the grounds that it infringes on their right to life by giving a broad definition and interpretation of what constitutes counterfeit medicines. The petitioners argue this threatens their access to generic medicines and right to life.
Page 3 of 10
Upcoming events
- Supply Chain Management of HIV/AIDS Medicines and Supplies (Monday - 25 - October - 2010)
- Advanced Course Rational Management of MedicinesA focus on HIV / (Monday - 01 - November - 2010)
- Rational Management of Medicines A focus on HIV / AIDS, TB (Monday - 01 - November - 2010)
Opportunities
A 6-12 month fellowship program for civil society organizations in East and Southern Africa to host fellows to work on access to medicines, intellectual property, and human rights issues
- Organizers: The Open Society Institute Access to Essential Medicines Initiative (AEMI) and Law and Health Initiative (LAHI)
- Deadline for submitting fellowship concept notes: June 30, 2010.
- Send E-mail to asegelman@sorosny.org
- Read More abut this opportunity
Login Form
The Unsettling Equation
Our Social Media Links
Our Global Network
Hai Membership
Stop Stock-outs Site
