A review of European Union trade policies regarding the export of medicines
to treat malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS in developing countries has been
announced by the EU trade commissioner (Mr Pascal Lamy), who wants to make it
easier for poorer nations to fight these diseases.
Speaking in Brussels, at a recent meeting on communicable diseases sponsored
by the European Commission, the World Health Organisation and UNAIDS, Mr Lamy
said that a series of policy options was being seriously considered.
Mr Lamy said that he wanted commission officials to analyse the prices of key
pharmaceuticals for the three diseases as well as the impact of tariffs and
taxes on these prices. This study would include a breakdown of consumer prices
and would allow Brussels to prepare firm proposals on amending trade policies
to ensure the relevant medicines were affordable world-wide.
He added that the commission might examine how tiered pricing could be used
to provide key pharmaceuticals for the three diseases to developing countries,
while ensuring that pharmaceutical companies made a profit. In this context,
there would be a further examination of the impact of parallel trading.