Universities' drug discoveries must aid poor countries, student group says

Universities should change the way they license research developments so as to make new drugs, vaccines, and diagnostic tests available to people in poor countries, says Universities Allied for Essential Medicines, a coalition of students at universities across North America.

The group's “Philadelphia consensus” says that universities should promote equal access to the results of their research, conduct research on neglected diseases, and measure their research success by its effect on human welfare.

“Universities are key developers of drugs, vaccines, and diagnostics. They can leverage their intellectual property [rights] on these innovations to ensure low-cost access in the developing world,” the consensus statement says. Universities might grant rights to manufacturers of generic drugs to make and export their innovations to poor countries or give price reductions or non-patenting agreements in low and middle income countries.

Expanding access in poor countries won't hurt drug companies' profits, the statement adds. It says, “Because patients in developing countries aren't currently able to afford the drugs they so desperately need, they do not factor into pharmaceutical company revenue or university royalties.”

Attempts to improve access to drugs for people in poor countries by relaxing intellectual property rights have failed, says an Oxfam report on the Doha declaration (BMJ 2006;333:1036). The declaration said that intellectual property rules should not prevent countries from protecting public health.

The coalition submitted its consensus statement to the World Health Organization's intergovernmental working group on intellectual property and health last week. The WHO group is charged with drawing up a global strategy and plan of action aimed at, among other things, securing “an enhanced and sustainable basis for needs-driven developing countries.” It is to submit this strategy and plan of action to the 61st World Health Assembly in May 2008.

David Chokshi, a medical student at the University of Pennsylvania and spokesman for the coalition, said that the goal of the consensus statement was to make sure that the WHO's global strategy and plan of action emphasised the role of universities. The coalition has chapters at more than 35 universities in the United States and Canada, and its members include undergraduate and graduate students in medicine, law, nursing, and public health.

The Philadelphia consensus has been endorsed by leaders in science, medicine, law, public policy, and public health and by many organisations.