(Presentation by Patrick Durisch, The Berne Declaration / Health Action International at the Hearing PACE Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development)
The Problem
- Misalignment of financial incentives and public health
- Largely due to the patent-based system
- Geared towards profit-driven research priorities
- Monopolies leading to high prices, issues of access to medicines
- Massive – and sometimes illegal – promotion practices
- Conflicts of interests
- Companies design their trials and test their own products, with the risk to maximising benefits and downplaying harm
- Proximity with authorities, influence power, industry-friendly rules