§ Mrs. BrookeTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development what research and development into medicines and vaccines her Department's Working Group on Access to Medicines has undertaken since it was established. [88022]
§ Clare ShortThe High Level Working Group on Access to Medicines' task, among others, was to consider ways to increase research and development (R&D) for diseases that affect poor people in the developing world. The group has now reported to the Prime Minister and put forward options for partnerships and policies that can help resolve market failure and re-shape incentives for industry, and to ensure investment by the pharmaceutical industry on R&D for diseases of poor people is monitored. One positive advance has been the Government's announcement, in April, to extend tax relief to companies involved in R&D for HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria relevant to the developing world.
The group recognised that investment in R&D for childhood diseases and six additional tropical diseases remains critically short. My Department currently invests in a number of R&D partnerships in this area and will continue to look at policy options that can further increase R&D for neglected diseases. The Government are taking forward a High Level Working Group recommendation to look at the potential that modified Orphaned Drug legislation might have to stimulate R&D investments for these neglected diseases.