During the 1990s, MSF teams made a bitter observation: we were failing to treat some of our patients suffering from infectious diseases, while in developed countries, remarkable progress was being made in the field of health. Two decades on, medicines in developing countries are still either too expensive, aren't suitable to be used in many of the contexts in which we work (for example, in hot, humid conditions or where there's a lack of electricity), or simply don't exist for the diseases we need to treat.
In 1999, we launched the Campaign for Access to Essential Medicines, now known as the Access Campaign. Its mission focuses on three areas: overcoming barriers to access to essential medicines, stimulating research and development for neglected diseases, promoting health exceptions to global trade agreements.
In 2003, MSF joined several research institutes, including the Institut Pasteur, to create the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi), a non-profit research and development organisation engaged in research and development of new treatments for neglected diseases.
![COVID-19 Intervention: National Public Health Laboratory, Juba COVID-19 Intervention: National Public Health Laboratory, Juba](https://img.msf.org/AssetLink/m35d7u8b0rl3140t71w00tr13h038274.jpg)
Governments must support landmark proposal to waive COVID-19 patents
![COVID-19 Intervention: National Public Health Laboratory, Juba COVID-19 Intervention: National Public Health Laboratory, Juba](https://img.msf.org/AssetLink/445rv01reb0j26y47n6dhc2bdmygt70w.jpg)
Governments must demand pharma make all COVID-19 vaccine deals public
![Doctor iilaya talking to patient pramod in the HFNC ward Doctor iilaya talking to patient pramod in the HFNC ward](https://img.msf.org/AssetLink/g45f61p574u4et2r8p0y8gwin2s77bxe.jpg)
MSF supports India and South Africa ask to waive COVID-19 patent rights
![MSF Hospital in Bangassou, CAR MSF Hospital in Bangassou, CAR](https://img.msf.org/AssetLink/3o6e0cb5hthy871g637m863gf8pt60by.jpg)
Diagnostic company Cepheid charging four times more than it should for COVID-19 tests
![TB treatments yield promising results in the Chechen Republic TB treatments yield promising results in the Chechen Republic](https://img.msf.org/AssetLink/2572xf4p2iknc6c0fic5gecjx5b6xj2p.jpg)
Governments must scale up better TB treatment as J&J drops crucial drug price
![MSF COVID-19 Response in Lebanon MSF COVID-19 Response in Lebanon](https://img.msf.org/AssetLink/3xpm64020228gn587557k7320f2855e4.jpg)
“COVID-19 has brought suffering to people everywhere, but its impact is not shared equally”
![Covid unit at G point hospital Covid unit at G point hospital](https://img.msf.org/AssetLink/1xh0s74b6d4ykd2f2u87xcq2prww711q.jpg)
Any future COVID-19 vaccines must be sold at cost and accessible to all
![Cholera vaccination in Kyangwali Cholera vaccination in Kyangwali](https://img.msf.org/AssetLink/51mh8c06415h4biu0776oq535ri4ajvt.jpg)
Overcoming barriers so vaccines can save lives
![MSF Intervention in Alcalá de Henares MSF Intervention in Alcalá de Henares](https://img.msf.org/AssetLink/y1n63063pl2ukgc7uy63fs63464r1hu0.jpg)