"mere statements of principle and words on paper are not enough. It is time for universities to act on their promises"

Research Universities Must Act
By ETHAN GUILLEN
Published: October 3, 2007
The Boston Globe

As a student at an Ivy League University (Brown), I find this article especially interesting as it discusses the research university’s role in providing assistance to the developing world. Recently, led by its new president (Drew Faust), Harvard and other universities have joined together to state that they will provide whatever assistance they can to the developing world and will help ensure that any medicine that comes from university-sponsored research will go to aid individuals who need them. This is part of the larger effort of the Universities Allied for Essential Medicines (UAEM), a group dedicated to making university-produced cures available to the developing world.

I think it is admirable that the UAEM has criticized Abbot Industries for withdrawing helpful medications (essential for the survival of many Thai lives) in response to the Thai government allowing generic versions of drugs to be produced and sold to its citizens (generic drugs would have made treatment even more affordable for the Thai people). Additionally, the group is putting pressure on the University of Wisconsin-UW (the developer of Zemplar, a kidney medication withdrawn by Abbot from the Thai market) for failing to chastise Abbot when they withdrew the UW-developed drug.

It is important for researchers to ensure that their research ends up benefitting those individuals who need it most. Many of these individuals are found in developing nations. One thing that UAEM has done was the “Philadelphia Consensus Statement,” which not only implores that the products of university research become available to the developing world, but also says that generic pharmaceutical companies should be able to provide generic versions of life-saving drugs, even if only the developing world. This would help reduce the enormous costs of providing healthcare in some of the poorest nations. This would then allow for an improved quality of life in those countries as they would have access to life-saving drugs in higher quantities.

I think it is amazing that these universities are committed to helping these developing nations, even if it does cost them some points with wealthy pharmaceutical companies. Because of its persistent efforts, the UAEM is gaining power, and if they can put some muscle behind their statements and remain committed to helping the developing world, they will manage to make a great difference in the developing world. The key to improving healthcare in these countries often comes in providing cutting-edge medicines at a low cost. Universities are often doing much of the research that eventually results in a functional drug. If they can stipulate that some of the drug must be made available to individuals in developing nations, it will do a lot of good. It is important for the UAEM to remember that pharmaceutical companies require university-led research, and, with that knowledge, may be able to exert sufficient leverage to help those in needy countries.

It is heartening to recognize that many universities are helping lead the way in developing low-cost drugs that can be given to other nations’ sick. This sort of commitment to fellow man and his (or her) health is admirable and has been seen repeatedly in my entries. Whether it is the United States, Bill Gates, or a group of universities, it is wonderful to know that some people care, and are actively looking at mankind’s problems with a global perspective. I think that UAEM is especially important because of the high profile of many of the universities involved. They can help raise awareness of some of the world’s greatest problems and help showcase some of the problems associated with pharmaceutical companies in the developing world. Through groups like this, effective drugs and other remedies can be developed and distributed to developing nations and improve their standard of living to the level that all people living in the 21^st century are entitled to.