IASMUN

Topic: Main Topic:  The Issue of Generic Drugs especially in Africa 

 

World Health Organization is one of the most important council's in the United Nations. It has specific objectives and core functions. It provides leadership where joint action is needed and partnerships. It is also involved in shaping the research agenda and stimulating the generation, translation and dissemination of valuable knowledge. The role is also to set norms and standards and promote and monitor the implementation stratagies. It articulates ethical and evidence-based policies. It provides technical support, catalysing change, and building sustainable institutional capacity. 

 

It's main role is to monitor health situation and asses health trends. Our topic this year for IASMUN 2015 for World Health Organization is the issue with Generic Drugs, and especially in the places they are needed the most. Generic drugs are drugs which do not have a brand name and they are not protected by a registered trademark. 

 

While all continents suffer from their own prominent diseases, Africa bears a disproportionate burden. The continents holds 11% of the population, but has 25% of the world’s disease burden[1]. While HIV and malaria are well known, other common deadly diseases such as measles and pneumonia are also prominent on the continent; all of which are exacerbated by high levels of malnutrition. HIV/AIDS alone cost the lives of around 1.2 million Africans in 2012, 75% of the global deaths to the disease[2]. Cheap, generic drugs have been proposed as an answer to this problem.

 

Medical drugs take one of two forms. The first is a patented drug, which has been researched and developed (R&D) by a company and cannot legally be reproduced by another company for a set period of time. This allows the initial company to recuperate financial losses for R&D. Once the patent ends the information on how to create the drug becomes available to all drug companies. They are generally produced at a lower price due to competition between firms and are called generic drugs. Some countries, such India and Brazil, have developed a generic drug industry, with Africa as a primary market.

 

Some legislation in developed countries already provides high quality generic drugs to Africa and there are propositions to increase the quantities. There is, however, a conflict of interests between pharmaceutical companies operating for a profit and humanitarians. This debate examines whether the mass export of high quality generic drugs to Africa is a viable and effective option.  The conflict lies between the companies and the governments, it is also about the safety of the people and the drugs. It is also related to the bioavailibity and bioeqvuilance of the drugs, and the negative sides related to it. There are arguments against and for generic drugs, where they should be used the most, if at all, and how the system should be changed or how it should work?