Access to medicines

Access to medicines refers to the reasonable ability for people to get needed medicines required to achieve health. Such access is deemed to be part of the right to health as supported by international law since 1946.

The World Health Organization states that essential medicines should be available, of good quality, and accessible. Reasonable access to medicines can be in conflict with intellectual property and free markets. In the developing world people may not get treatment for conditions like HIV/AIDS.

A number of countries and organizations have efforts to improve access to medicines in specific areas of the world.

The Canada's Access to Medicines Regime allows developing countries to bring in medicines at lower cost. It specifically allows companies in Canada who may not own the right to make a medication to do so for export to certain countries in the developing world.

Médecins Sans Frontières has had such a campaign since 1999 known as the Campaign for Access to Essential Medicines.

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Wikipedia