Oxfam calls for fairer distribution of life-saving drugs

By Anna Tobin

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THE international pharmaceutical business and western governments have been accused by Oxfam of restricting the supply of key medicines to the earth's most in need countries.

The international aid organisation�wants the pharmaceutical giants to allow developing countries greater access to drugs that treat illness such as AID's, respiratory diseases and stomach bugs.

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Oxfam�is calling for these countries to be able to produce cheap copies of drugs that are commonly used in the developed world to treat and control these illnesses.

It has also asked the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to alter the patent rules governing legal drugs. It says the existing 20-year patents restict access to life-saving drugs to certain sections of the world's population.

GlaxoSmithKline, one of the world's largest drug companies, is currently taking legal action against countries that are producing cheaper generic copies of its drugs.

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GlaxoSmithKline, however, claims that the patent debate is a lot more complex than Oxfam is making out. It points out that it carries out significant work in developing countries and is involved in several initiatives to cut the price of HIV-treatment drugs.