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All parties in the House of Commons united on Wednesday to allow Canada's Access to Medicines Regime (CAMR) bill to surmount a procedural hurdle that threatened to kill it. The bill would facilitate the distribution of life-saving medications from Canada to poor countries facing public health emergencies.CAMR, created in 2003, was initially lauded internationally as an effort to help countries unable to make or purchase drugs for AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis. The bill quickly lost steam and was almost abandoned when domestic generic drug makers discovered the legislation was mired in red tape.
Changes were made to the legislation, but it stalled again last year when its sponsor, Member of Parliament Judy Wasylycia-Leis, resigned to run for mayor of Winnipeg. The bill is now supported by MP Paul Dewar.
"Nearly 15 million people living with HIV/AIDS need antiviral drugs, but barely 5 million can afford to get them," said Dewar. "I remember the day Canada told the world we'd step up. Canada promised to get those life-saving drugs into the world's poorest countries."
To date, Apotex Inc. has been the only Canadian firm to use the bill, making a two-year supply of a triple combination anti-AIDS medication for 21,000 Rwandans. It has committed to using the bill again to make pediatric AIDS drugs if fixes are made to the licensing system.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
