POVERTY AND HEALTH: Access to Medicine

The International Policy Network has a summary of a new report that claims that Governments are responsible for the fact that poor people in developing countries do not have access to medicines and medical care. It isn't the big drug companies fault that medicines are too costly.

Find it at http://www.policynetwork.net/main/press_release.php?pr­_id=89


An opposing viewpoint is found in an editorial against big medicine companies. The author claims that children in developing countries are dying because they can't get medicines for treatable diseases due to their poverty.
This is found at: http://www.stopchildpoverty.org/learn/bigpicture/health/pharmaceutials.php


A CNN news report says that poor heart patients in the USA reduce their purchases of medicine that they should be taking in order to by food for their families. Due to their poverty, they prioritize between food and medicine.

It was written in 1998 but this report is at:
http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/9803 /31/cardiology.wrap/index.html


Several years ago Sepp Hasslburger wrote how traditional medicines are more prevalent in many parts of the world and the poor use these rather than new products. In South Africa, it may be that traditional medicines are use for AIDS treatment more than ARV's.

Read about this at:
http://www.newmediaexplorer.org/sepp/2004/02/16/south_africa_traditional_medicine_to_fight_aids_poverty.htm


Medicines Transparency Alliance (MeTA) held a workshop in October of this year but only the goals and agenda was found. They are concerned with increasing accessibility of medicines for the poor. I'd like to find out what conclusions they may have made.

http://www.dfidhealthrc.org/meta/documents%5CMeta%20equity%20meet%20Oct%2007%5CMeTA%20worshop%20%agenda%20final.pdf


An interesting site that I found offers free medicine – but not any kind or all medicines – to those who qualify who live in the USA. These are provided by the drug manufacturers. The site is http://www.themedicineprogram.com/free-medicine.html