Gates donates 117m euro but stays cool over EU bid to allow drug copying

Date: 21/06/01

By Laurence Frost

THE world's largest fund for combating HIV and AIDS is refusing to take sides over the EU's bid to relax intellectual property rules which prevent poor countries from making cheaper generic drugs.

Patty Stonesifer, president of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, was in Brussels this week as Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy unveiled his bid for a flexible interpretation of the international rules to allow poor countries facing epidemics to copy successful medicines.

Former Microsoft vice-president Stonesifer told European Voice: "Low-cost access to drugs is critical, but there are also challenges to intellectual property because we need those drugs to be improved. "

The EU plan, unveiled at a World Trade Organisation meeting in Geneva which ends tomorrow (22 June), has met strong opposition from the Bush administration, described as "much more pro-drug company than we are" by one Commission official.

Bill Gates has often drawn on intellectual property principles to defend Microsoft, so the issue is delicate for his €27 billion Seattle-based foundation.

During her Brussels visit Stonesifer donated €117 million to the planned global AIDS and Health fund, and met Development Commissioner Poul Nielson to press for an EU contribution.

The global fund will be a hot issue at next week's United Nations general assembly. Certain key players and governments - including the Gates foundation - are understood to be opposed to UN control of the fund.

The world's largest fund for combating HIV and AIDS is refusing to take sides over the EU's bid to relax intellectual property rules which prevent poor countries from making cheaper generic drugs.

http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news01_e/trips_drugs_010620_e.htm http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news01_e/trips_drugs_010620_e.htm

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