Latin America global policies on access to medicines 'should not be subordinated to commercial interests'

A Declaration has been signed by civil society organizations from Latin America, the European Union and the USA, following their recent meeting in Quito, Ecuador, to discuss access to medicines.

According to a posting on the IP Tango web set, supplied by an attorney at Knowledge Ecology International, the document stated:

'Organizations of the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) - Global Alliance for Access to Medicines reaffirm their commitment to work to ensure universal access to medicines, in the belief that medicines are enabling factors for the full exercise of the right to life. The LAC -Global Alliance has identified old and new policies and processes, some of which enable access to medicines, while others sustain commercial privileges that become obstacles to the achievement of public interest outcomes. Access to medicines should not be subordinated to commercial interests.'