That was a widely held view among a diverse group of 80 experts from 21 countries and a wide range of professional backgrounds, participating in a workshop organized jointly by the World Health Organization, World Trade Organization, Norwegian Foreign Ministry and Global Health Council, a broad-based US organization in the healthcare field.

The workshop examined in detail ways to reduce pharmaceutical prices in low-income countries and how to increase financing so that the world’s poorest people can obtain necessary medicines and healthcare. HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis featured prominently, but a wide range of other diseases that affect poor people were also discussed.

WHO Director-General Gro Harlem Brundtland said the meeting had been constructive and helpful.

“It is clear that the price of medicines does matter — especially for people in poor countries,” she said.

“We heard from the experts that much lower prices can be achieved for the poorest countries. Equally important is strengthening health systems, and, for the poorest countries, securing additional international financing,” Dr Brundtland said.

Participants attended as experts in their own right. They came from: developed and developing country governments; international research-based companies; generic pharmaceutical companies from Asia, Africa and Latin America; non-governmental organizations; consumer and treatment groups; universities; and international organizations.

“Although participants clearly approached the issues from different points of view, there was broad recognition that differential pricing could play an important role in ensuring access to existing drugs at affordable prices, particularly in the poorest countries, while the patent system would be allowed to continue to play its role in providing incentives for research and development into new drugs,” said Adrian Otten, director of the WTO’s Intellectual Property Division.

Two of the organizers, the WHO and WTO, will each report on the outcome to forthcoming meetings in their organizations to be held in the next few months. In May, the WHO holds its World Health Assembly, and in June the WTO’s Council on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) will hold a special discussion on intellectual property and access to drugs.

All participants will be able draw on the ideas and experiences exchanged in the workshop, for use in their own work, together or separately.