Affordability and accessibility of medication

affordability

Access, despite the availability of quality treatment, care and prevention services (e.g. PrEP), is often limited by the prices, i.e. the affordability of medications, diagnostics, and other health interventions. Access to affordable and quality medicines are essential for the right to health of each individual affected by HIV and AIDS, TB, and viral hepatitis. At the community and public health level, accessing affordable and quality medicines is essential for reducing transmission rates and ending all three pandemics as public health threats by 2030.


Building on the activities of the 2018-2021 strategic period, AAE will continue to support strengtheningthe capacities of our member organisation in the 2022-2026 strategic period, in order to improve access via making quality treatment, diagnostics, and prevention methods affordable.

History of activities

 

  • In 2015 Steering Committee decided to develop a training manual that is used as the basis of trainings for community members and activists that are already working or would like to work on the issue of affordability. The manual was updated and translated into Russian in 2017. The manual is in open access and can be downloaded here.

  • Based in the training manual 6 regional trainings were conducted on the topic of affordability and pricing of medications in 2016 and in 2017.

  • In 2016 AIDS Action Europe conducted three regional trainings for activists and community members from 1) the Baltic States 2) non-EU countries from Central and Southeast Europe and 3) EU countries from Central and Southeast Europe.

  • In 2017 AIDS Action Europe conducted three regional trainings for activists and community members from 1) the Southern European EU member states 2) Russian language training for activists and advocates from Eastern Europe and Central Asia and 3) a second training for Southern European EU member states.

  • These regions were identified by the Steering Committee as those regions that are affected by the present IP system and pricing of medications. The “new” EU states have weaker economies and spend relatively less on their healthcare, while the non-EU countries are affected due to their interest in joining the EU and thus being subject to agreements and regulations that limit their use of generics antiretroviral medications which will have an effect on the prices and accessibility of these drugs.

  • In 2018 the manual was updated and extended with additional chapter on guidance for trainers. Based on the manual 2 training for trainers were conducted in November 2018. All-in-all, 12 participants from 10 countries took part in the training for trainers. This was the first step on the way to conduct national trainings in national languages in 2020.

  • In 2019, AAE planned to conduct 2 webinars on issues of access and affordability. First webinar took place in June 2019. The topic of the webinar was Global Intellectual Property Regimes and Schemes. Below you will find the recording of the webinar.

  • In 2022, AAE organised the online conference "The right to health vs. market priorities. How do we want to end AIDS without affordable medication and health interventions?" to discuss the affordability of medicine and health interventions, and how to improve access to medicine and diagnostics. 

Tweeter news
@aidsactioneurop