The UK government has refused to sign up to a global resolution on greater transparency for drug pricing.
The resolution urges governments and others buying health products to share information on actual prices paid, and pushes for greater transparency on patents, clinical trial results and other factors affecting pricing from laboratories to patients.
The aim is to gather evidence on whether openness reduces costs and to help countries negotiate more affordable prices.
The resolution – considered “game-changing” by campaigners for disclosure of medicines prices – was discussed over the past week at the World Health Assembly (WHA). Agreement was finally reached late on Monday evening and formally passed on Tuesday morning.
While they stopped short of forcing a vote, the UK, Germany and Hungary have disassociated themselves from the resolution, which had already been watered down.
“WHA resolutions are normally approved by consensus,” said Elaine Ruth Fletcher, managing editor of the Geneva-based Health Policy Watch. “It is rare that delegates resort to disassociation.”
Affordability of medicines is an issue affecting countries worldwide. The UK is involved in a standoff over the price of the cystic fibrosis drug Orkambi. South Africa and Thailand have seen protests over access to cancer drugs.
Sixty-six NGOs working in sub-Saharan Africa wrote to the UK government last week calling on them to support the resolution.
Julian Braithwaite, the UK’s permanent representative to the UN and WTO in Geneva, said: “The issues, structures and economic principles of improving access to medicines are complex and multi-dimensional. The UK has been keen to ensure that where preferential and differential pricing is working well in lower income countries, new approaches to transparency do not threaten these.
“We believe that more time should have been allowed to enable all involved to carefully consider the potentially far-reaching implications of the resolution and to consult stakeholders appropriately.
“… For [this reason], the UK is left with no option but to disassociate ourselves with this resolution.”
Alex Norris, shadow minister for international development, said: “I am appalled that the UK government failed to support measures that would lower the price of medicines at this week’s World Health Assembly. If this government genuinely wants to ensure that everyone can access the medicines they need, not only in the UK but right across the world, then they must start working to improve the current distorted and secretive system of drug pricing.
“The power imbalance between the pharmaceutical industry and governments, particularly those in the global south, must be shifted so we can ensure people across the world can get the medicines they need at prices we can all afford.”
Director of StopAids, Mike Podmore, said: “It is outrageous that the UK government attempted to derail WHA negotiations on this important transparency resolution. It is doubly shameful that they have disassociated themselves even after they had already secured damaging amendments that significantly weakened the resolution.
“The UK government must no longer block measures for greater transparency of the drug industry that will help ensure lower drug prices and make sure everyone can access the medicines they need.”
