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Ending TB -Jayalakshmi Shreedhar & Anupama Srinivasan

-The Hindu

The disease cannot be eliminated without universal access to affordable, quality diagnostics and drugs

After decades spent battling the scourge of tuberculosis (TB) in developing countries, 2018 might be the year that it is finally accorded the gravitas it deserves. On September 26, the UN General Assembly will, for the first time, address TB in a High-Level Meeting and likely release a Political Declaration, endorsed by all member nations, to galvanise investment and action to meet the global target of eliminating TB worldwide by 2035.

Elimination, which means reducing the number to one case per million people per year, will be impossible without universal, equitable access to affordable, quality TB diagnostics and treatment for anyone who needs it. Much to the disappointment of global civil society, issues around access to diagnostics and drugs have been considerably diluted in the most recent draft of the Political Declaration.

A critical omission is that countries may avail of the various flexibilities under the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights; another is that countries may invoke the Doha Declaration to compulsorily license drugs for use in public health emergencies. Yet another is the option to de-link the pricing of new TB drugs from the costs incurred in their research and development. The latest draft is a watered-down version of the original that actively committed to upholding access to affordable generics for all.

India has fought to retain its status as a maker and distributor of generic medicines, thereby protecting the right to health of people in developing countries. Indian patent law contains important provisions that help protect and promote public health goals — for example, by overcoming bids by big pharma to evergreen patents of old drugs, through compulsorily licensing for certain drugs, and by permitting pre- and post-grant opposition to patents to challenge unfair patenting practices by big pharma.

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