New Draft Resolution On Counterfeits At WHO

A new conference paper has been submitted to the World Health Assembly committee addressing the World Health Organization work on counterfeit and substandard medicines. It offers a way forward on this week’s most controversial issue by involving governments directly in the activities through an intergovernmental working group.

This is a “democratic mechanism to address everyone’s concerns, fears, and needs” said the delegate of India, one of the paper’s authors. Countries from the Union of South American Nations are also supporting the proposal. This document was drafted in late-night informal meetings yesterday (IPW, WHO, 20 May 2010).

The document, as written, is available here [pdf].

Discussion on the conference paper appears to be being scheduled to take place tomorrow morning, after the paper can be translated into the six UN languages.