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Priority medicines for Europe and the world Before taking on the Presidency of the EU for the latter half of 2004 the Dutch government commissioned the WHO to develop a research agenda for the EU based on public health needs for priority medicines. The result is an important report on pharmaceutical innovation from a public health perspective supervised by Dr Richard Laing of the WHO. Recently reviewed in the BMJ (BMJ VOLUME 330 19 FEBRUARY 2005) the report has been commended for its coverage of a wide range of critical issues and makes many far reaching research proposals on neglected diseases for the EU.  LSE/Wellcome Trust Pharmaceutical R&D Policy Project The Pharmaceutical R&D Policy Project (Director: Dr Mary Moran) is looking for ways in which governments can fund small initiatives conducting research and development of drugs for neglected diseases. They are investigating ways in which industry and public health interests could be aligned in this area and argue that public private partnerships are an efficient way to conduct R&D for neglected diseases. The R&D Policy Project’s report will be published in May 2005. Make Poverty History MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY brings together a wide cross section of over 200 charities, campaigns, trade unions, faith groups and celebrities who are united by a common belief that 2005 offers an unprecedented opportunity for global change. The movement aims to convince the G8 of the need for trade justice. They want the G8 to Drop the Debt and provide more and better aid to the world’s poorest countries. Read their Manifesto: The courage to change the rules: Proposal for an essential health R&D treaty An article recently published by Nicoletta Dentico and Nathan Ford in the journal of the Public Library of Science Medicine proposes a "new international treaty on essential health R&D that could provide a binding framework to redirect today's knowledge and scientific expertise to priority health needs". The treaty could help to cement new political commitments and coordinate complementary partnerships aimed at generating and rewarding health innovation as a global public good. | Putting neglected diseases back on international agendas On 18 January 2005, DNDi, in association with MMV, TB Alliance, Oxfam and MSF, held a seminar in London aimed primarily at policy makers. The objective was to bring back on the table the critical need for support from the UK and European governments for R&D of new and improved drugs for neglected diseases. An open letter signed by these organizations, as well as Sir John Sulston, was sent to Tony Blair . A response has since been received and a UK Minister of Development has asked to set up a meeting with DNDi Executive Director Bernard Pecoul. To read the letter please visit www.dndi.org Home > DNDi, MMV, TB Alliance, Oxfam UK, MSF and Sir John Sulston co-sign an open letter to UK Prime Minister Tony Blair. LEAP 0104 trial - 5 mo,ths on DNDi's clinical trial site in Um El Kher, Sudan, is up and running. It will be one of a 5-site trial of paromomycin to treat visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in East Africa. The first VL patient started treatment with paromomycin on 17 November 2004. Other trial sites are Kassab Hospital, Gadaref State Sudan; Gondar and Arba Minch hospitals in Ethiopia; and Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) in Kenya. There are currently over 130 patients in the trial. www.dndi.org Home > Paromomycin Clinical trials begin in Suda DNDi's Policy available ont the DNDi website The DNDi IP approach will be pragmatic, and decisions regarding the possible acquisition of patents, ownership and licensing terms will be made on a case by case basis... www.dndi.org Home > About DNDi > DNDi's Intellectual Property Policy | |
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