§ Mr. WorthingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if, at the World Trade Organisation under the terms of the TRIPS, he will support the use of compulsory licences to reduce the price of drugs to treat HIV/AIDS and related infections. [141744]
§ Mr. CabornThis Government support the inclusion of compulsory licensing provisions in TRIPs as a safeguard against abuses of intellectual property rights and as an incentive for pharmaceutical research and development. Access to medicines depends on more than intellectual property rights and drug pricing; a range of other factors, including adequate health care infrastructure, are at least as important.
§ Mr. WorthingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has made to the South African Government about their proposals to allow the generic substitution of drugs to reduce the cost of treatment for HIV/AIDS and other diseases. [141747]
§ Mr. CabornMy right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and I have had contacts with the South African Government aimed at supporting a partnership approach with the pharmaceutical industry to provide greater access to effective treatment for HIV/AIDS and other diseases. The South African Government has underlined its commitment to improve health care provision for all its people, while respecting its international obligations on intellectual property.
§ Mr. WorthingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has made to Glaxo-Wellcome and Smith-Kline on the generic substitution of drugs for the treatment of HIV/AIDS and other diseases in South Africa. [141745]
140W
January 1999 January 2000 Local authority Nursery/primary Secondary Total Nursery/primary Secondary Total City of London 1 0 1 0 1 1 Camden 21 8 29 17 13 30 Greenwich 52 9 61 16 14 30 Hackney 38 30 68 47 22 69 Hammersmith and Fulham 15 8 23 14 8 22 Islington 10 3 13 20 11 31 Kensington and Chelsea 3 6 9 3 2 5 Lambeth 46 12 58 36 12 48
§ Mr. CabornI have discussed a wide range of issues with the pharmaceutical industry. I visited Glaxo Wellcome before my recent visit to South Africa. I welcome their commitment to work with the South African Government to improve access to medicines in general and treatments for HIV/AIDS in particular.
§ Mr. WorthingtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received supporting the right of Southern African countries to use parallel importing and compulsory licensing to widen access to HIV/AIDS medicines. [141746]
§ Mr. CabornI have received letters from UK organisations and members of the public expressing concern about access to affordable medicines in Southern Africa. I believe that the best means of enabling this is through partnerships such as the UNAIDS Accelerating Access Initiative which involves the pharmaceutical companies working together with African Governments to provide therapies at substantially reduced cost.