Topic and Country Assignments

Global Classrooms

TogoAzerbaijanCongoLebanonEl Salvador

Our Countries are…

Source: http://www.google.es/imgres?imgurl=http://geology.com/world/world-map.gif&imgrefurl=http://geology.com/world/world-map.shtml&h=715&w=1200&sz=98&tbnid=WyeCmd4K74fpMM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=151&zoom=1&usg=__hKLt0UL3_I_m9lGzOEBIP_MoqIk=&docid=19EM_yJbKFXQIM&sa=X&ei=f1RxUvr7IMvH7AbK-4GADQ&ved=0CDcQ9QEwAQ

Where are they?

Source: http://www.google.es/imgres?imgurl=http://geology.com/world/world-map.gif&imgrefurl=http://geology.com/world/world-map.shtml&h=715&w=1200&sz=98&tbnid=WyeCmd4K74fpMM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=151&zoom=1&usg=__hKLt0UL3_I_m9lGzOEBIP_MoqIk=&docid=19EM_yJbKFXQIM&sa=X&ei=f1RxUvr7IMvH7AbK-4GADQ&ved=0CDcQ9QEwAQ

Africa: Togo and Congo

Central America: El Salvador

The Middle East: Lebanon and Azerbaijan

Source: http://www.infoplease.com/atlas/middleeast.html

Togo: María, Lorena, AlbertoAzerbaijan: Andrea, Wisal, AdriánCongo: Vivian, David, Jesus

**Let me clarify which Congo and I will let you know via email

Lebanon: Elisa, Adán, IreneEl Salvador: Alvaro, Manuela, Christian,

Patricia

The Groups are…

GENERIC DRUGS

UN Committee:World Health Organisation (WHO)

Our Conference Topic Is…

Source: https://d3ojdig7p1k9j.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/generic-drugs.jpg

Agency of the UN that provides leadership on global health matters

Has 194 member nationsProvides support and information on issues

like food safety, HIV/AIDS, maternal health and scientific research

World Health Organisation

Source: http://www.puntlandi.net/?p=430

“A pharmaceutical product usually intended to be interchangeable with an innovative product that is manufactured without a license from the innovator company and marketed after the expiration date of the patent or other exclusive rights.”

Generic Drugs

“A title granted by public authorities that confers a temporary monopoly for the exploitation of an invention on the person who registers it, furnishes a sufficiently clear and full description of it and claims this monopoly.”

Forbids others from using the invention without the inventors’ permission

Drug patents are usually in effect for 17-20 yearsAfter this period, other companies can produce and

sell the drug without permission: AKA generic drugsSame chemical formula as the expensive major

brand but at a much cheaper price

Patents

Major pharmaceutical companies put a lot of money into research and development of the drug and therefore charge a lot of money

Generic drug companies have the chemical formula already available to them (no R&D) and do not have to worry about the expensive and time-consuming regulatory testing. Thus they do not need to charge as much money to make money.

How are Generic Drugs Made and Why are they so Cheap?

Generic drugs are cheaper and therefore allow impoverished people to access drugs8 million people in low and middle-income

countries currently receive drugs for HIV/AIDS which would not be possible without generic drugs

Why do we care?

Impoverished people need cheap generic drugs, but major pharmaceutical companies need to make money in order to research and develop drugs.

If they can’t make money No drugsNo drugs No treatment

But then what is the problem?

A need is determinedResearch is done to find the best chemical

formula (usually on the cell or protein level)The drug is put through a series of regulatory

tests assigned by the government for the safety of peopleCells Animals Human Trials (Clinical Trials)

If the drug passes all the tests it can then be patented

The drug can then be sold to consumers

The Road to Becoming a Drug

In 1994 the World Trade Organization protected big pharmaceutical companies via the TRIPS (Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights) Agreement

However, a country could override the patent protection by issuing a “compulsory license” when they were in the midst of an epidemic

On the Political Level

However, many countries began to abuse their compulsory licensesEx. Thailand in 2006 was not able to negotiate

a cheap enough price with Pharm companies and issued a compulsory license for cancer drugs

Diseases like Cancer, Diabetes, and Heart Disease are known as non-communicable diseases as they are not passed from person to person.

Again, Big Pharma companies need the money to do research and development of new drugs

On the Political Level

Generic Drug production is increasingResearch and Development costs are

increasingBig Pharma companies have introduced

tiered pricing based on their clients income levelHelps low income countries but not middle

income countriesMain problem surrounds HIV/AIDS drugs, whose

patents are quickly expiring and which are expertly produced at low prices in countries like India

Current Situation

Many second line drugs (newer versions of the drug with less resistance or toxicity) are still under patents and impoverished countries must rely on older, less effective methods

While countries like the United States have put forth a lot of effort into making sure poor countries have access to HIV/AIDS drugs, they have also increased patent protection on non-communicable disease drugs. They argue that cancer and diabetes are less of an emergency than HIV/AIDS, malaria, and TB.

Further Problems

Global Classrooms. “World Health Organization (WHO), Topic: Generic Drugs.” Global Classrooms 2013. Print.

Source

Big pharma expenses versus profitsNeed for cheap drugs versus need for

expensive drugs that fund future researchTiered pricing pros and cons

So things to keep in mind:

NEXT THURSDAY10 MINUTES (and no more!)Citations!

I WILL NOT ACCEPT LATE PRESENTATIONS!

Everyone must speak

Country Presentations

What you should includeGovernment (Government system, Head of

State, Languages)Economy (GDP, Economic System,

Development classification, import/exports, natural resources)

People (Religions, growth rate, standard of living)

MilitaryUN Relations (Has the UN had to intervene in

a country conflict?)Relations with WHO and what you think is the

country’s position on the generic drugs debate

Country Presentations

WHO WebsiteUN WebsiteAllcountries.euCouncil on Foreign Relations (cfr.org)

Research Aids