Agenda item 11.7, document A72/17 (Access to medicines and vaccines) Speaker: Liudmyla Maistat The Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) welcomes the WHO Road Map for Access to medicines, vaccines and other health products. We note that one of the deliverables which is anticipated to have significant impact on fostering innovation and access to health products is the promotion of public health-oriented licensing agreements and transparency regarding patent status of existing and new health technologies. We agree that for licensing to become an effective vehicle for access, it must closely align with public health principles and be a part of a broader public health approach to improving access to safe, effective and affordable essential medicines. Over the past nine years, the MPP is proud to have become a key driver of public health-oriented and transparent licensing agreements for improved access to medicines in low- and middle-income countries. Over 100 countries have already benefitted from access to new...

Geneva, 17 May 2019 – In a joint declaration published today, the Health Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, gathered in Paris on 16-17 May, highlighted the importance of improving access to safe, effective, quality, affordable and essential health products and supported the expansion of the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) to essential medicines. In 2018, at the request of the international community, the MPP expanded its mandate beyond treatment for HIV, hepatitis C and tuberculosis to other essential medicines. Last week, the MPP published its new framework for prioritising target medicines for in-licensing under its expanded mandate. “In 2011, the G8 had welcomed the establishment of the Unitaid-funded Patent Pool to facilitate the production of affordable HIV medicines well-adapted for use in resource-poor settings, encouraging the voluntary participation of patent holders” said Charles Gore,...