Implementation of TRIPS Flexibilities In National IP Legislation For Strengthening Access To Medicines In Swaziland Workshop with MOH and stakeholders, Royal Villas, 13 October 2014

SARPAM?

Southern African Regional Programme on Access to Medicines (SARPAM) Program Goal: – Reduce Disease Burden in SADC by Increasing Access to Quality, Affordable, Essential Medicines Assists SADC Secretariat & member states with the implementation of the SADC Pharmaceutical Business Plan Funded by: DFID (UK),

SADC Pharmaceutical Business Plan Agreed by Health Ministers in 2006 – Follow-up PBP being developed Objective: Access to Medicines for all Has 8 areas of work, inter alia: – Pooled procurement & info exchange, – Regulatory harmonisation, – Local production,  TRIPS impact on Access to Medicines

SADC Pharmaceutical Business Plan TRIPS related activities 1.Regional assessment of IP legislation (done) 2.Identify legal resources (done) 3.Database of legal experts (available) 4.Collaborate with partners to enable countries to take full advantage of the flexibilities 5.Avoid TRIPS+ in bilateral trade negotiations

Trade, TRIPS and Access to Medicines – Supports SADC PBP TRIPS activities since 2012 – SADC member states adopted Sept 2012 concept note – 8 member states requested support to review their national IP/patent legislation – So far 6 national workshops were held: Botswana, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho and Seychelles All accepted recommendations to amend Patent legislation – Week 22 Sept Regional Lawyers meeting, and – Discussion with SADC member states of a strategic plan to produce future generics in SADC that India can no longer easily supply since 2005