G20: Security, Trade, Climate, Trump Diplomacy Overshadow Health, IT, Innovation07/07/2017 by Monika Ermert for Health Policy Watch Leave a CommentOn the eve of the G20 meeting in Hamburg, Germany, German politicians described positions on free trade and climate as the most difficult issues. Expectations from civil society groups in the G20 results are modest at best and the 6 July protest march “Welcome to Hell” was cancelled after clashes between the police and parts of the protestors.
Enter The African Medicines Agency, Continent’s First Super-Regulator?03/07/2017 by Tatum Anderson for Health Policy Watch Leave a CommentAn African medicines agency, the continent’s first super-regulator, could be approved as soon as next year.
World’s Most Effective HIV Drug Rolled Out In Africa In Generic Version29/06/2017 by Fredrick Nzwili for Health Policy Watch Leave a CommentNAIROBI, Kenya – A generic version of dolutegravir (DTG), the drug of choice for the last two years for people living with HIV in high-income countries, is now available in Africa. On 28 June, the government of Kenya and drug pricing and innovation mechanism Unitaid unveiled the new first-line drug in an effort to accelerate access to better antiretroviral (ARV) drugs for her people living with HIV. It becomes the first country in Africa to introduce the generic version of drug.
Polypills: Are Miracle Treatments Being Overlooked?05/06/2017 by Tatum Anderson for Health Policy Watch Leave a CommentCardiovascular diseases (CVD), a group of conditions that can result in heart attacks and strokes, is the world’s number one killer, accounting for one-third of deaths throughout the world, according to research released recently (17 May) by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington.
Coordinated Global Solution Needed To Ensure Universal Vaccine Supply, Speakers Say19/05/2017 by Elise De Geyter for Health Policy Watch Leave a CommentShortages of vaccines are a worldwide problem with tremendous impact on health, affecting countries of all income groups and regions, speakers said at a recent industry event. Different possible solutions for shortages of vaccines were suggested during the panel discussion.
G20 Health Ministers Receive Flurry Of Requests Ahead Of Their First-Ever Meeting18/05/2017 by Monika Ermert for Health Policy Watch Leave a CommentCivil society organisations and the Business 20 Dialogue all put their positions on the table before the opening of the first-ever meeting of G20 Health Ministers tomorrow in Berlin, Germany taking place tomorrow.
March-in Rights: A Lost Opportunity To Lower US Drug Prices18/05/2017 by Steven Seidenberg for Health Policy Watch Leave a CommentIt appears not just unfair, but absurdly so. The US government paid for research that produced a patented drug, the patents were licensed exclusively to a Japanese firm, and that firm is now committing price discrimination against the US. Astellas Pharma is selling its anti-prostate cancer drug, Xtandi, for over $129,000 per year per patient in the United States – triple the price of the drug in Japan. Alas, this situation is not unusual. Many drugs that were financed by US taxpayers are sold in the US at exorbitant prices, but are much cheaper in other high-income industrialized nations. This differential price problem could be solved easily. However, the US government has consistently refused to exercise its march-in rights in order to lower drug prices.
New Industry Alliance Aimed At Antimicrobial Resistance18/05/2017 by Health Policy Watch Leave a CommentPharmaceutical industry representatives today announced a new alliance to fight antimicrobial resistance. The announcement came during a meeting of the private sector of the most advanced countries.
Attacks On WHO Candidate Are Defamatory, ‘Colonial’, Ambassador Says17/05/2017 by Catherine Saez, Health Policy Watch 1 CommentThe African Union delegation to the United Nations came in outspoken numbers to a press briefing today to express unshakable support for the Ethiopian candidate to be the next head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
US, EU Diverge On Medical Diagnostic Patents10/05/2017 by Kim Treanor for Health Policy Watch 1 CommentA recent article in the journal Nature Biotechnology finds that since a key United States Supreme Court decision, the European Union and United States have diverged in their patent filings for medical diagnostics.
