The Appeal - with its catchphrase question, "Do our governments have sleeping sickness?" - will be presented at the 2006 World Health Assembly. This is particularly timely as governments will be debating a resolution proposed by Kenya and Brazil to examine the R&D system and address its flaws.
Neglected drugs continue their 30 year record
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The appeal is a call to governments to provide significant and sustained support to bring essential new diagnostics, drugs, and vaccines to people suffering and dying from neglected diseases. It has attracted over 5,200 signatories since it was launched in June 2005. MSF is a partner in the Appeal.
"Despite changes in the R&D landscape over the past ten years, the situation for patients has not changed," said Dr Rowan Gillies, President of the MSF International Council. "There has been no leadership to address this crisis thus far. Unless decisive steps are taken to ensure that medical R&D is steered to address the health needs of patients in developing countries, and that innovations are affordable to people who need them, this disgraceful situation will only get worse. Taking these steps involves having to change the rules that govern the R&D system today."
The Appeal - with its catchphrase question, "Do our governments have sleeping sickness?" - will be presented at the 2006 World Health Assembly. This is particularly timely as governments will be debating a resolution proposed by Kenya and Brazil to examine the R&D system and address its flaws.
The resolution calls for a 'Global Framework for Essential R&D' and provides an opportunity for governments to take leadership in ensuring that a system is established where medical R&D is prioritised according to health needs, and where sustainable financing can be obtained for the development of desperately needed drugs, diagnostics and vaccines that address diseases of the poor - diseases which today attract little interest from the pharmaceutical industry.
To view the Appeal, go to http://www.researchappeal.org
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