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MSF reaction to G8 declaration on Africa and innovation

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"G8 leaders have been talking out of both sides of their mouths. No progress was made here on access to medicines." "G8 leaders are sending out contradictory messages: on one hand they pledge more money, and on the other, they want to increase intellectual property protection which is known as a key a barrier to access to affordable medicines."

"Even though innovation was a key agenda point of this G8, the desperate need for better tests and medicines for infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, the most common cause of death of people living with HIV/AIDS in Africa, has been ignored." "Although the G8 acknowledges that access to medicines is a challenge, they proposed no sufficient solutions.

The problem of second-line AIDS medicines that still cost at least five times more that first-line medicines remains unsolved." "The G8 did not respond to the urgent need of countries to get clear support for the use of compulsory licenses in the name of public health and not to face retaliatory measures when they do.

The G8 are only suggesting that international organizations and donors should 'respond constructively to requests by African developing countries without manufacturing capacity.'This is unacceptably weak."