Pre - Proposal Discussion
Hello! Even though I currently do not have the number of endorsements required to submit a proposal (on the side, any region looking for a pro-active delegate, let me know ;)), I fully intend to bring the following to light at some point in the future. Here is posted the draft of the proposal, for comment and suggestion:
The Jenkelia Corrollary to the Cherry Cola Health Act:
WHEREAS the Cherry Cola Proposal regarding medicine and healthcare during wartime was passed,
WE ADVANCE the idea of furthering those statements, notably on the topic of pharmaceuticals.
WHILE we make no claim of desire to force governments to nationalize the research and development of medicines, we find it deplorable that one company inside one nation may hold the key to stopping a global or regional epidemic, and withhold it for money or political reasons.
THEREFOR we submit that the UN General Assembly be granted the power to force export of specific drugs in times of desperate need, as determined by the General Assembly, and with proper compensation given to the company or nation that is providing the pharmeceutical. The company or nation retains all rights of patent or trademark, and distribution rights will return to the original owner once the crisis is deemed solved.
I dont think so. This'll widden the UN's current hole about having too much power...
With all respects, if the UN doesn't have the power to enforce its mandates, then what purpose does it serve? All this proposal would do is eliminate the ability of a single nation or corporation to keep the world hostage.
It was required to keep peace and order, and make useful decisions and decisions that kept the independence of our nations. The recent proposals have done none of that, and I think this adds on to that list.
Collaboration
07-11-2003, 16:37
It might discourage R&D; perhaps a middle way could be found, that pays the corporation yet serves the populace.
Hello! Even though I currently do not have the number of endorsements required to submit a proposal (on the side, any region looking for a pro-active delegate, let me know ;)), I fully intend to bring the following to light at some point in the future. Here is posted the draft of the proposal, for comment and suggestion:
The Jenkelia Corrollary to the Cherry Cola Health Act:
WHEREAS the Cherry Cola Proposal regarding medicine and healthcare during wartime was passed,
WE ADVANCE the idea of furthering those statements, notably on the topic of pharmaceuticals.
WHILE we make no claim of desire to force governments to nationalize the research and development of medicines, we find it deplorable that one company inside one nation may hold the key to stopping a global or regional epidemic, and withhold it for money or political reasons.
THEREFOR we submit that the UN General Assembly be granted the power to force export of specific drugs in times of desperate need, as determined by the General Assembly, and with proper compensation given to the company or nation that is providing the pharmeceutical. The company or nation retains all rights of patent or trademark, and distribution rights will return to the original owner once the crisis is deemed solved.
NO NO NO, dangerous idea.
Why where these medicines research. Yes, because you can make a profit on it. What happens if you take the profit away. Right, the medine would never have been researched. Ergo, situation the same except that nobody ever knew of the medicine.
Even in temporary crisis situations it doesn't work. That is when the most money is made. The only way to do it, is by paying big bugs to the medicine companies. And since it happens by law, and not by market, that means you will pay far to high prices, and prices that are not comparable with the market economy. Though far too high prices would not be that bad, because that would stimulate research.
And you shouldn't be worried. We did for a long time without the medicine. What is a patent of 10 years going to matter.
Say there is however a world epedemic. You could force them to give you the medicine at which point the company would have thought, why did I bother researching it at all.
Or you can just pay up, in which case you do as it goes already.
Maybe you should set up an international funds that buys medicines for the not so wealthy nations. However then we get the problem that medicines are smuggled back in to the wealthy nations for a lot of money. Whatever you do, you sticking yourself in a wasps nest :P
Though on the other hand, if you do find the solution of making it happen so that it works, you can send it to the real UN. They are pretty much stuck with this problem right now. If we could manage at this forum to make together a good way pooling our knowledge, we would finaly have something to be proud on.
I find no problem with this particular resolution.
The final clause fully states that the researching company should not only receive proper compensation but that the company retains all patent, trademark and distribution rights.
Now, the situation becomes sticky with untested drugs that have not received their patent yet because then the field is wide open for the companies' competition to steal the formula (and the field of medical research can be just as cutthroat as any other business.) Thus, if a patent is pending for the corporation's medicine, then the nation that the company is stationed should, in cooperation with the world crisis, accelarate the patent process for the corporation to protect its interests.
For the points raised earlier in this thread about R&D companies out to make money are all very true. Let them keep their money and their money making ability and there should be minimal problems.
Of course... there are always problems with any and everything... but if a situation has to be perfect before action is taken then nothing would ever get done.