UK Policy Paper on Access to Essential Medicines

The UK government and the world's largest pharmaceutical companies today committed to work together to improve access to medicines for the world's poorest countries.The UK today published a new policy document, "Increasing people's access to essential medicines in developing countries". It provides guidance for pharmaceutical companies on how they can increase access by working in partnership with other stakeholders.The paper encourages differential pricing, greater investment in R&D, and other steps to encourage access such as voluntary licenses.On advance purchase commitments, the paper says:

The UK Government announced in December 2004 the Government's intention to work with government and industry partners to develop proposals for Advance Purchase Commitments as a means to stimulate greater and accelerated research and development for HIV and malaria vaccines for use in developing countries.