ABSTRACT
This chapter underlines the tensions and conflict between the needs of the populations for the availability at reasonable cost of medicines and vaccines, i.e. patients' rights, and intellectual property protection and free trade. Medecins sans Frontieres (MSF) and Oxfam have joined with Third World Network, the Quakers UN Office in Geneva, Consumer Project on Technology, Consumers International, Health Action International and The Network in supporting developing countries' claims at and following the WTO Doha meeting in November 2001. In 2015, MSF released a report on 'The Right Shot: Bringing Down Barriers to Affordable and Adapted Vaccines', which showed that in most African countries with the addition of new vaccines it is no. To provide or increase access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for its population is first a government responsibility. WHO and supportive governments should consider acting on the recommendations to initiate the process for a convention on R&D, with full support of NGOs.
