Minutes - TRIPS Council - View details of the intervention/statement

Ambassador Alfredo Suescum (Panama)
12 THE UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY-GENERAL'S HIGH LEVEL PANEL REPORT ON ACCESS TO MEDICINES
231. Norway attaches great importance to tackling global health challenges, including providing access to affordable medicines for all. There are various and complex reasons behind the problem that many people around the world, especially in least developed and low-income countries, do not have access to the medicines and vaccines they need. This access depends, among other factors, on regulatory frameworks, prices, procurement systems, systems for distribution of medicines to the clinics, and the presence of qualified health personnel. This complexity requires a balanced discussion. 232. The UNSG’s High-Level Panel Report focuses mainly on intellectual property rights, which is only one of several elements that influence the prices of medicines and vaccines. Moreover, it seems to us that the Report does not give a fully representative picture regarding the role of patents and related intellectual property rights in providing access to medicines. The Report seems to focus too narrowly on negative aspects. However, the system is also contributing to bringing new medicines to the market. 233. A narrow focus on negative aspects of the system is not conducive. We need in our view to take a broader perspective – which includes other important elements that influence access to medicines, and I mentioned some of them at the beginning of my intervention. Norway supports several international initiatives which work to improve these challenges – for instance: UNITAID, Medicines Patent Pool, and WAMBO.org within The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. 234. As for the continued discussion on the interface between IPRs and health here in the WTO, it is Norway’s opinion that it would be more fruitful to take as point of departure the joint study by the WTO, the WHO and WIPO from 2013: Promoting Access to Medical Technologies and Innovation: Intersections between public health, intellectual property and trade.
The Council took note of the statements made.
63. The Chairman recalled that Brazil, China, India and South Africa had requested that this item be added to the agenda of the Council's meeting in November 2016. To introduce the item, they had also submitted a communication (document IP/C/W/619).

64. In the course of that discussion, the delegation of South Africa had requested that this item be continued as an ad hoc item at the next meeting and the Council so agreed.

65. Since this was a continuation of the discussion had held at the Council's meeting in November 2016, he briefly summarized what had been said at that meeting. According to the co sponsors, the request to add this item to the Council's agenda had been intended to facilitate an exchange of views on the recommendations of the High Level Panel, as well as to share national experiences regarding the use of TRIPS flexibilities. At the meeting in November 2016, some delegations had welcomed the discussion of the report in this Council while others had said that they needed more time to consider the recommendations. Some delegations had expressed concern about the narrow scope of the report and had noted that it had neither been mandated nor endorsed by Members of the United Nations.

66. The representatives of India; Bangladesh on behalf of the LDC Group; Brazil; South Africa; China; Indonesia; Nigeria on behalf of the African Group; Egypt; the United States; Japan; Canada; the Republic of Korea; Norway; the European Union; Switzerland; Australia; Chinese Taipei; and Chile took the floor.

67. The representative of the World Health Organization took the floor.

68. The Council took note of the statements made.

IP/C/M/85, IP/C/M/85/Add.1