On March 30, 2017, seventeen civil society organizations issued a letter to the EU, urging support for a proposed resolution concerning cancer research and development at the upcoming 70th World Health Assembly in May.
The signatories of the letter (listed below) called on the EU to support the cancer resolution, which mandates a feasibility study on a fund for cancer research and development that delinks R&D costs from the price of health technologies. With significant gaps in availability of cancer medicines between European Union member states, the proposed resolution represents an important step towards establishing a roadmap for ensuring affordable access to innovative cancer treatments in Europe. As stated in the letter, “In order to truly realize the right to health, it is imperative that delinkage becomes part of the DNA of the European Union’s quest to achieve universal health care.”
The following organizations signed on to the letter:
- Access to Medicines Ireland
- Alliance for Public Health
- All-Ukranian Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS
- Commons Network
- Consumer Association the Quality of Life-EKPIZO
- Dying for a Cure
- Health Action International (HAI)
- Health and Trade Network
- Hepatitis Scotland
- Just Treatment
- Knowledge Ecology International Europe (KEI Europe)
- Prescrire
- Public Eye
- Salud por Derecho
- STOPAIDS
- UAEM Europe
- Union for Affordable Cancer Treatment (UACT)