Health Policy Watch: WHO-led Fair Pricing Forum Gathers Diverse Groups To Improve Drug Access
“A diverse group of civil society, industry, and government representatives convened [Thursday] at the WHO-led 2nd Fair Pricing Forum in Johannesburg, South Africa, in the quest for new solutions that can unlock people’s access to desperately needed drugs at more affordable prices. The two-day meeting, co-sponsored with South Africa and involving some 30 countries and 40 industry and nonprofit groups, comes at a time when the debate over drug access has become increasingly polarized…” (Fletcher, 4/11).

U.N. News: Greater transparency, fairer prices for medicines ‘a global human rights issue,’ says U.N. health agency
“… ‘This is a global human rights issue,’ said WHO Assistant Director-General for Medicines and Health Products Mariângela Simão on Saturday at the WHO Forum on Medicines in Johannesburg. ‘Everyone has a right to access quality health care.’ … Industry bodies at the forum supported access to medicines for all, and recommitted to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which calls for private partnerships to address global challenges, such as access to medicines. WHO announced that over the coming weeks, it will launch a public consultation online to collect views from relevant participants on what actually constitutes a fair price” (4/14).