UK urged not to undermine key medicines initiative

News from the Stop AIDS Campaign

Embargoed until 00:01, Monday 18th September

French-led initiative could generate new resources and more affordable medicines – but the UK must fund it appropriately.

The Stop AIDS Campaign – a coalition of over 90 UK NGOs fighting HIV & AIDS – has welcomed the launch of a new initiative, on Tuesday 19th September, to increase access to essential medicines for HIV, TB and Malaria in developing countries, but urges the UK Government not to undermine this important initiative by backing out of financing commitments. Although the UK Government has been an admirable leader in getting global commitments for HIV treatment for all by 2010, it needs to fully back this key mechanism that will help achieve this target.

The International Drug Purchasing Facility (IDPF) is an innovative financing mechanism developed by Brazil, Chile, France, Norway and the UK (the UNITAID Group). It will use revenues from air passenger duty to leverage new and predictable resources for the fight against major diseases, induce significant reductions in the prices of essential medicines, and therefore increase access to treatment. The IDPF will focus on significantly reducing the cost of new medicines for the three biggest pandemics in the developing world – HIV & AIDS, TB and malaria – that are urgently needed because of resistance to currently used medicines.

The Stop AIDS Campaign is disappointed that the UK Government has indicated it will not be making its contributions to the IDFP additional to existing aid commitments.

Whilst Brazil, Chile, France and Norway are all making their contributions from air levies additional to their aid commitments, the UK Government has recently indicated that it will not. The French Government has already introduced an ‘air-ticket solidarity levy’ whereby a small proportion of the cost of each air ticket purchased in France will be used to fund the IDPF. It is anticipated that this levy will generate around €200m each year. The UK, however, is yet to announce the value of its contribution, and has indicated that any contribution will merely come from the existing aid budget, thus undermining two key values of innovation and additionality.

Steve Cockburn, Coordinator of the Stop AIDS Campaign said:

“For the Stop AIDS Campaign, one of the main points of ‘added value’ in this initiative is its role in leveraging predictable funds that are additional to existing aid commitments. The UK government’s failure to back the IDPF with new money from our current air passenger duty undermines this initiative as it is launched”

Dr Mohga Kamal-Yanni from Oxfam further adds:

“While new money is needed, the IDPF also needs to prove its worth in encouraging the production of affordable, generic versions of essential medicines through the use of TRIPS flexibilities, an area in which it could make big difference. “

The UK position sets a poor example in encouraging other countries to join this important initiative. In an open letter to Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and Hilary Benn, the Stop AIDS Campaign calls for the UK to set a timetable by which the UK’s contribution to the IDPF will come from a portion of existing Air Passenger Duty, additional to existing ODA commitments.

Anton Kerr, Senior Policy Advisor, International HIV/AIDS Alliance said:

"We welcome the launch of the IDPF as an international initiative that will focus on driving down the cost of life saving medicines, which are so desperately needed in the poor countries most in need. We’re looking for the UK to continue its leadership in the fight against these three diseases by setting a good example for other countries to follow."

Christine Kafando, Board member of REV+, an NGO in Burkino Faso said:

"Because donors refuse to make long-term funding commitments, my government doesn't fully support universal access to AIDS treatment. If the UK government dedicates a special income stream to making AIDS funding long-term, it solves the problem, and we can all get to work."

For further information and comment contact:

Anton Kerr at the International HIV/AIDS Alliance on 07951 022 052

Dr. Mohga Kamal-Yanni at Oxfam on 0777625584

Steve Cockburn of the Stop AIDS Campaign at 07786852912

Ends

Notes

  • A letter has been sent to the Prime Minister, Chancellor and Secretary of State for International Development (see related resources).
  • For further information on UNITAID/IDPF please visit http://www.unitaid.eu/sommaire.php3?lang=en.
  • The International HIV/AIDS Alliance is part of the Stop AIDS Campaign – the campaigning arm of the UK Consortium on AIDS and International Development – a coalition of over 90 UK based NGOs working to develop effective approaches to the HIV epidemic in developing countries for over 20 years.
  • Established in 1993, the International HIV/AIDS Alliance (the Alliance) is a global partnership of nationally-based organisations working to support community action on AIDS. These national partners help local community groups and other non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to take action on AIDS, and are supported by technical expertise, policy work and fundraising carried out at the UK-based international secretariat and across the Alliance. In addition to community and country-based programmes, the Alliance also has extensive regional programmes and works on a range of international activities such as support for South–South cooperation, operations research, training and good practice development, as well as policy analysis and advocacy.
  • The Alliance has worked with community organisations from over 40 countries, provided financial support to over 3,000 projects (implemented by over 2,000 community and faith-based groups). Expenditure in 2005 alone was over USD 45 million.
  • For more information about the work of the International HIV/AIDS Alliance and to arrange interviews, please contact Simon Moore. T: 01273 718744. E: smoore@aidsalliance.org or Rhian Evans. T: 01273 718961. E: revans@aidsalliance.org