Obama Administration Wants to Eliminate References to Doha Declaration in UN Political Declaration on Non-Communicable Diseases | Knowledge Ecology International

"The United States and the European Union are using a United Nations High Level Meeting on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) to effectively renegotiate a landmark agreement on intellectual property rights and public health. What is at stake is an interpretation of the diseases covered by a 2001 WTO agreement that says that intellectual property rights should be implemented in a manner that promotes "access to medicine for all." The issue is whether the UN recognizes the relevance of the Doha Declaration on TRIPS and Public Health, which was negotiated on November 14, 2001....The UN negotiation on Non-Communicable Diseases has been, from the start, deeply influenced by companies that hold patents on drugs, diagnostics and medical devices for cancer, diabetes and heart disease....By seeking to eliminate any references to the Doha Declaration, the U.S. appears to be asserting that the "access to medicine for all" provisions in the Doha Declaration do not apply to drugs for cancer and other non-communicable diseases...."