More A Way Of Life… Look, this is just between you and me

I’m Very Impressed

For something I'm writing elsewhere, I've been doing a lot of research lately into the issue of vital drugs being priced out of the reach of the people who need them the most in, for instance, various African countries. It's a depressing subject, to say the least.

But a glimmer of official sanity has appeared today in the form of International Development Secretary Clare Short's proposals that drugs used in the treatment of three key diseases, AIDS, tuberulosis, and malaria, should be sold to the countries identified as most in need of them at cost price. It's difficult to overstate how radical a suggestion this is. Most of the major drug companies have resisted any such proposals vigorously whenever they have previously been raised. But the group producing the report had the involvement of the biggest British companies, AstraZeneca and GlaxoSmithKline.

The reoprt and its proposals were commissioned in the wake of a G8 summit last year, and the plan is to have the G8 countries accept the proposals, which may prove a stumbling block, as the US government has traditionally sided with the major US drug companies over this issue. But perhaps right will prevail.

There are other, wider issues involved too, of course, and The Guardian reviews some of them in its leader today.

Regardless, the proposals alone, and their acceptance by the companies already on board is a huge step, and I for one would like to commend all involved.