Developing countries, poverty diseases: combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis

The European Parliament adopted a resolution drafted by Anders WIJKMAN (EPP-ED, Sweden) and made some amendments to the Commission's proposal. (Please refer to the document dated 11/11/02.) The financial framework from 2003 to 2006 was set at EUR 351 million. Parliament added a number of recitals expanding on the amendments made to the articles. It emphasised that poverty diseases are among the problems that require a systematic, coordinated response by the international community. Interventions in this area are in everyone's interest and therefore should not be viewed as a question of development aid alone. The Doha declaration on TRIPS and Public Health affirmed that the TRIPS Agreement " can and should be implemented in a manner supportive of WTO members' right to protect public health and, in particular, to promote access to medicines for all." It reaffirmed the right of WTO members to use to the full provisions in the TRIPS Agreement, which provide flexibility for this purpose. Inadequate public policy has compounded the failure of the market to generate research and development for neglected diseases. In 2000, only 10% of R&D concerned diseases hat are responsible for 90 of diseases in the world. Increased public funding is needed, including supporting the research and development of specific global public goods and methods of prevention and treatment and the introduction of appropriate incentives for the private sector to invest accordingly.�