Medicines
Pharmaceutical companies do not act in compliance with the rules for testing medicines and take advantage of the vulnerable position of people in developing countries. Usually, test subjects are poor, illiterate and hardly have access to health services.
Wemos lobbies for:
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Adherence to the rules that protect people in developing countries against unethical clinical trials.
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Fair medicines at the European market.
Before new drugs are marketed, they are tested on human beings to determine their efficacy and safety. Pharmaceutical companies are increasingly testing new medicines on people in developing countries, because of the low costs. Researchers state that 40% of the total number of clinical trials are conducted in low income and developing countries, particularly in countries in Eastern Europe, Asia and Latin America. Adherence to the rules that protect people in developing countries against unethical clinical trials.
Fair medicines at the European market.
For test subjects in developing countries it is often the only way to get treatment or earn some money. Sadly, participants hardly receive any information and have no idea about the risks they run.
International regulations are rather straightforward. Pharmaceutical companies, however, do not adhere to the agreements, while governments of developing countries insufficiently monitor the rules. Moreover, Western countries contribute to continuation of the situation, as they allow unethically tested medicines to enter their markets.
Activities
Wemos combats unethical clinical trials in developing countries by:- advocating for closer supervision at the European level, to prevent unethically tested medicines to be marketed in Europe;
- closely monitoring the activities of pharmaceutical companies and publishing research reports;
- collaborating with organizations in India and Latin-America as well as with Western organizations; and
- attracting the attention of the media.
Lobbying results
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The European Medicines Agency (EMEA) pledged to better monitor compliance with ethical guidelines for clinical trials in developing countries.
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Members of the European and the Dutch Parliament presented the European Commission and the Dutch government with critical questions about ‘unfair’ medicines, following studies of Wemos and partner organizations.
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The international campaign FairDrugs.org, initiated by Wemos, received broad support from health and human rights organizations, students, scientists, members of parliament, health workers and others.
More information
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Last update: February 7, 2012
