Globalization & Health

For decades, India has been known as the “pharmacy of the developing world” for its ability to supply lifesaving generic drugs at a fraction of the cost of those with brand names. People living in India and throughout the Global South rely heavily on these affordable medicines, and without them antiretrovirals, cancer drugs, and hundreds of other basic medications would be out of reach for millions.

To,
The UNITAID Board Chair
Dr Philippe Douste-Blazy
Special Adviser on Innovative Financing for Development
UN Under-Secretary-General

We understand that the UNITAID’s Executive Board is to meet on 14-15th December to finalise the Patent Pool implementation plan.

Geneva, 3 Jun (Kanaga Raja) -- The WTO TRIPS Agreement and the TRIPS-plus provisions in Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) have had an adverse impact on prices and availability of medicines, making it difficult for countries to comply with their obligations to respect, protect and fulfil the right to health, the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to health, Mr Anand Grover, said on Tuesday.

People’s Health Movement USA invites you to:

Moving Progressive NGO Advocacy to the Next Level
May 27, 2009, 6pm
Meet in the lobby off the main entrance the Omni Shoreham Hotel
2500 Calvert St NW
Washington, DC 20008
The hotel is one block from Woodley Park/Zoo/Adams Morgan stop on the Metro Red Line

With the collapse of the neoliberal economic model, the new administration in Washington, and increase attention to comprehensive primary health care and the social determinants of health, progressive NGOs working on health issues must take advantage of the space for action.

We have organised a panel discussion with almost twenty representatives from five continents of the PHM with which INSEV has long been collaborating to build the Turkey Circle.

GENEVA, May 18 (IPS) - World Health Organisation (WHO) Director General Margaret Chan issued a warning about the danger posed by the H1N1 flu epidemic, while health ministers from several countries recommended avoiding excesses when it came to remarks about a potential pandemic.

“Economic Recession is a threat to the world’s health”

The People’s Health Movement urges the World Health Organization and member governments to “declare the economic recession currently gripping the globe as a health emergency”.

Health activists gathered here in Geneva for the World Health Assembly (18-22 May) are expected to lobby the UN health body and governments to declare global downturn a health emergency.

WHA 2009: PHM statements on key health issues - May 19, 2009

On recession and impact on health:

1. “Declare Global economic downturn a health disaster!”.
2. Economic Recession is a threat to the world’s health
3. The PHM demands immediate measures by the international community and individual governments:

Third World Network

PRESS RELEASE: IGM on Pandemic Influenza Preparedness fails to resolve critical elements

18 May 2009

Governments at the World Health Organisation have failed to agree on a framework that guarantees affected countries access to affordable anti-virals and vaccines during a pandemic, and access to the technology and know-how needed to build research, development and production capacity.