§ Mr. SheermanTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the affordability of HIV/AIDS drugs to patients in Africa. [71933]
1132W
§ Clare ShortThe Government are strongly committed to increasing access to essential medicines for the world's poor, especially in Africa.
The Working Group on Access to Medicines, which I chair, has brought together UK Government, pharmaceuticals and others over the last year to look at options for bringing about widespread, sustainable and predictable differential pricing of medicines, including HIV/AIDS drugs. Good progress has been made. The final meeting will be held tomorrow and the group will report back to the Prime Minister by September.
Affordability is only one of four key factors that influence access to medicines. Others are the need for sustainable financing, the rational selection and use of existing drugs and reliable health and supply systems.
On sustainable financing, we have pledged $200 million over five years to the Global Fund to Fight TB, AIDS and Malaria (GFATM). We have also committed over £1 billion since 1997 to strengthening developing countries' health systems, building their capacity both to deliver medicines to the poor and to make effective choices about the selection and use of drugs.