PRESIDENT BRODY, DEAN SOMMER, DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

IT IS A GREAT PRIVILEGE TO BE WITH YOU TODAY TO DELIVER A SPECIAL DEAN'S LECTURE ON HEALTH POLICY AND PROGRAMS IN JORDAN AND CHALLENGES FACING DEVELOPING COUNTRIES IN THE NEXT CENTURY. THANK YOU PRESIDENT BRODY AND DEAN SOMMER FOR YOUR INVITATION TO SPEAK HERE AT THE JOHNS HOPKINS' SCHOOL OF HYGIENE AND PUBLIC HEALTH - AN AMERICAN INSTITUTION FAMOUS FOR ITS PIONEERING WORK IN THE FIELD.

INDEED JOHNS HOPKINS SYMBOLIZES BOTH MEDICAL EXCELLENCE AND AN ALMOST UNRIVALED DEDICATION TO THE GREAT CAUSES OF PUBLIC HEALTH THIS CENTURY. THIS SPIRIT OF INTERNATIONAL CURING AND CARING, INDEPENDENT OF THE TRAPPINGS OF MEDICAL COMMERCIALISM, IS WHAT BRINGS ME HERE TODAY. AND, TO PAY A PERSONAL TRIBUTE TO THIS GENEROUS SPIRIT; TO ITS FACULTY WHO HAVE BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE GLOBAL FIGHT AGAINST INFECTIOUS DISEASES; TO ITS RESEARCHERS WHO HAVE WORKED TIRELESSLY ON SOLUTIONS FOR GROWING ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS, TO ITS PHYSICIANS AND NURSES WHO HAVE TREATED PATIENTS WORLDWIDE; TO ITS STUDENTS WHO HAVE EXCELLED IN THE AREAS OF HEALTH POLICY AND MANAGEMENT.

JORDAN HAS BEEN AN APPRECIATIVE BENEFICIARY OF THAT SPIRIT. WE HAVE SEVERAL HOPKINS PH.D HOLDERS, INCLUDING DR. SAHER SHUQAIDEF, NOW UNICEF'S REGIONAL HEALTH PROGRAM OFFICER, WHO WAS FEATURED IN THIS YEAR'S SPRING ISSUE OF THE JOHNS HOPKINS MAGAZINE.

DEAN SOMMER HIMSELF HAS ORGANIZED CRUCIAL EYE HEALTH SURVEYS IN JORDAN AND CO-CHAIRED THE PAN-ARAB COUNCIL OF OPTHALMOLOGY. PROFESSOR MATHEW TAYBACK, BOARD MEMBER OF THE JOURNAL OF THE JORDANIAN ROYAL MEDICAL SERVICES, HAS TAUGHT COURSES IN QUANTITATIVE METHODS IN MEDICINE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF JORDAN AND ASSISTED IN FOUR EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDIES IN COLLABORATION WITH THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH. WE ALSO HAVE HAD A NOTABLE EXPORT FOR FORTY YEARS, PROFESSOR TED BARAMKY.

PRESIDENT BRODY AND DEAN SOMMER, THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS JORDNIAN HEALTH ISSUES AND TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME GLOBAL HEALTH CONCERNS.

THE CHALLENGES FACING JORDAN TODAY AS IT GRAPPLES WITH NEW POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC REALITIES ARE NOT UNIQUE TO MY COUNTRY - MANY OTHER DEVELOPING NATIONS WRESTLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS. BUT JORDAN CAN PROVIDE SOME EXAMPLES OF WHAT CAN BE ACHIEVED WITH VISION, RELENTLESS COMMITMENT, AND A GREAT DEAL OF HARD WORK.

IN 1953, WHEN KING HUSSEIN ASSUMED THE THRONE, JORDAN WAS A SMALL COUNTRY- WITH A POOR ECONOMIC BASE- SITUATED BETWEEN REGIONAL POWERS AND STILL HEAVILY DEPENDENT ON ECONOMIC AID TO MEET BASIC NEEDS; A CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCHY CAUGHT BETWEEN THE REVOLUTIONARY WINDS OF COMMUNISM AND NATIONALISM; A COUNTRY WHOSE ECONOMY AND SOCIETY HAD TO ABSORB LARGE NUMBERS OF REFUGEES FROM PALESTINE AFTER THE 1948 ARAB-ISRAELI WAR.

IN 1952, NO UNIVERSITIES EXISTED AND THERE WERE ONLY 46 HEALTH FACILITIES WITH A TOTAL OF 180 TRAINED PHYSICIANS. WHEN I MARRIED IN 1978, THERE WERE 2 UNIVERSITIES, 19 HOSPITALS AND 1500 DOCTORS.

TODAY, THERE ARE 17 UNIVERSITIES, 2,000 HEALTH FACILITIES, AND 13,000 DOCTORS - A PUBLIC HEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE THAT PROVIDES PRIMARY HEALTH CARE FOR THE MAJORITY OF JORDAN'S ROUGHLY FIVE MILLION PEOPLE. AGAINST HEAVY ODDS, WE HAVE CREATED A MODERN HEALTH SYSTEM THAT HAS BECOME A REGIONAL CENTER FOR BYPASS SURGERY, EYE TREATMENT AND OTHER SERIOUS DISEASES.

OVER THE PAST FEW DECADES, JORDAN HAS ALSO ACHIEVED MAJOR PUBLIC HEALTH MILESTONES. IN JULY UNICEF REPORTED THAT WE HAVE ACHIEVED THIS DECADE'S UNIVERSAL GOALS FOR CHILDREN; REDUCING INFANT AND CHILD MORTALITY RATES, ENSURING UNIVERSAL CHILD IMMUNIZATION, PROMOTING SCHOOL ENROLLMENT AND ATTENDANCE, WHICH IS ABOVE 95 PER CENT FOR BOYS AND GIRLS, ASSURING SALT IODIZATION PROGRAMS, AND SUPPORTING VITAMIN A SUPPLEMENTATION. DR. E.V. McCULLOM, JOHNS HOPKINS FIRST CHAIR OF BIOCHEMISTRY, WOULD BE PROUD.

THE UNDER FIVE-MORTALITY RATE HAS DROPPED TO 24, COMPARED TO THE REGIONAL AVERAGE OF 46. WITH NO REPORTED CASES OF POLIO IN THE LAST THREE YEARS, JORDAN WILL BE ONE OF THE FIRST COUNTRIES IN THE REGION TO BE PROCLAIMED POLIO FREE. THESE ADVANCES RESULTED IN LARGE PART FROM THE SHARED COMMITMENTS AND COOPERATION AMONG GOVERNMENT, THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND NGOS AT HOME AND ABROAD.

THESE SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENTS NOTWITHSTANDING, JORDAN FACES CONSIDERABLE PUBLIC HEALTH CHALLENGES AS IT ENTERS THE NEW MILLENNIUM. THE KEY CHALLENGE IS TO TRANSFORM JORDAN INTO A DYNAMIC ECONOMIC PLAYER THAT IS MORE COMPETITIVE AND MORE EFFICIENT IN THE GLOBAL ECONOMY.

THE GOVERNMENT, ATTEMPTING TO JUMP-START A RECESSION-HIT ECONOMY BURDENED WITH A MASSIVE $7 BILLION DEBT, IS RESTRUCTURING AND LIBERALIZING KEY SECTORS AND PROVIDING AN ATTRACTIVE CLIMATE FOR MUCH-NEEDED FOREIGN INVESTMENT.

THIS YEAR OUR GOVERNMENT SPENDING ON HEALTH CARE AS A PERCENTAGE OF GNP WAS SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN THE REGIONAL AVERAGE; POSITIVE, IN SOME SENSE, BUT ALSO A SIGN OF A MEDICAL SECTOR THAT LACKS REGULATION, COORDINATION AND EFFICIENCY. THE ABSENCE OF SOPHISTICATED DATA- GATHERING AND DATA ANALYSIS HAS MADE DECISION MAKING ON KEY POLICY ISSUES AND SPENDING PRIORITIES EXTREMELY DIFFICULT.

WITH PUBLIC SECTOR DECLINE BECAUSE OF BUDGETARY CONSTRAINTS, PRIVATE SECTOR SERVICES HAVE BOOMED RESULTING IN OVER-INVESTMENT IN HOSPITAL SERVICES AND THE SEEMING OVER COMMERCIALIZATION OF MEDICINE IN JORDAN - A PROBLEM I AM SURE YOU CAN RELATE TO HERE IN THE U.S.

THE SECTOR'S HIGHLY CURATIVE APPROACH HAS DRAWBACKS - PRIMARILY INEQUITABLE ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES ESPECIALLY FOR PRIMARY HEALTH CARE. IN SOME REGIONS, LARGE NUMBERS OF CHILDREN STILL SUFFER FROM MALNUTRITION AND 25 PER CENT ARE DIAGNOSED WITH ANEMIA. PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS PREDICT THE STATE'S BURDEN WILL ONLY INCREASE AS THE COUNTRY'S YOUNG POPULATION - 41% UNDER 15 AND ONLY 3 % OVER 65- ENTER THE JOB MARKET.

ASIDE FROM THE DEMOGRAPHIC CHALLENGE, A SHIFT IN THE PATTERN OF DISEASE HAS OCCURRED. AS WE MAKE HEADWAY AGAINST COMMUNICABLE DISEASES SUCH AS MEASLES, TUBERCULOSIS, AND POLIO, AND AS THE COUNTRY'S POPULATION GROWS OLDER, WE ARE SEEING AN INCREASE IN CHRONIC, NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES FAMILIAR TO THE DEVELOPED WORLD - CANCERS, HEART DISEASE, DIABETES AND HYPERTENSION - WHICH ARE MUCH MORE COSTLY TO TREAT.

NOT SURPRISINGLY, WATER SCARCITY IN OUR COUNTRY AND THE REGION FIGURES PROMINENTLY IN PUBLIC HEALTH STRATEGIES. LACK OF WATER HAS LONG BEEN IDENTIFIED AS A CRITICAL DEVELOPMENT CONSTRAINT. ALREADY, EXISTING AQUIFERS ARE BEING RAPIDLY DEPLETED AND WATER RATIONING IS A FACT OF LIFE FOR MOST JORDANIANS. PER CAPITA, FRESHWATER POTENTIAL IN JORDAN IS ON THE ORDER OF A THIRD OF WHAT IS AVAILABLE IN ISRAEL AND SYRIA, A SIXTH OF WHAT IS AVAILABLE IN EGYPT - AND A FORTIETH OF THAT AVAILABLE IN THE UNITED STATES.

ONE OF JORDAN'S MOST CRITICAL CHALLENGES IS A FERTILITY RATE AMONG THE HIGHEST IN OUR REGION- 4.9 COMPARED TO 4.01. JOHNS HOPKINS' CENTER FOR COMMUNICATION PROGRAMS HAS WORKED WITH US TO DEVELOP A FIVE-YEAR NATIONAL FAMILY PLANNING COMMUNICATION STRATEGY. THE STRATEGY'S FIRST INITIATIVE ENGAGES RELIGIOUS LEADERS AND OTHER INFLUENTIAL MEMBERS OF SOCIETY TO ENCOURAGE MEN TO DISCUSS HEALTH ISSUES WITH THEIR SPOUSES, SPECIFICALLY THE BENEFITS OF FAMILY PLANNING.

ALSO, REALIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF RELIGION IN SUCH DECISIONS, THE CENTER COLLABORATED WITH THE NATIONAL POPULATION COMMISSION AND THE MINISTRY OF AWQAF AND ISLAMIC AFFAIRS ON A FULL SURVEY OF RELIGIOUS LEADERS' ATTITUDES AND TEACHINGS ABOUT FAMILY PLANNING. THIS SURVEY, BEING FINALIZED, IS THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN THE REGION.

THE USAID /WASHINGTON OFFICE HAS RECOGNIZED THE OVERALL JORDAN POPULATION/ REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH PROGRAM AS THE NUMBER ONE PROGRAM IN THE NEAR EAST AND ASIA FOR TWO CONSECUTIVE YEARS, (1997/98), DUE IN PART TO THE PROGRAM'S CONTRIBUTION TO AN INCREASE IN CONTRACEPTIVE USE FROM 40 TO ALMOST 50 PERCENT FROM 1990 TO 1996.

PRESIDENT BRODY, DEAN SOMMER,
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

OUR COUNTRY HAS ACHIEVED A GREAT DEAL. BUT JORDAN AND OTHER THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES MUST NOT ONLY PUT THEIR OWN HOUSES IN ORDER, BUT ALSO MUST TRANSFORM THEIR ECONOMIES TO CONVERGE WITH THE GLOBAL SYSTEM. JORDAN IS EAGER TO JOIN THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION -A CLUB OF 134 COUNTRIES ACCOUNTING FOR 90 PER CENT OF GLOBAL TRADE AND SERVICES- BEFORE THE END OF THE CURRENT ROUND.

TO THAT END, WE ARE OPENING UP OUR ECONOMY, AND BRINGING OUR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAWS IN LINE WITH THE TRADE RELATED ASPECTS OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS (TRIPS) AGREEMENT - A KEY COMPONENT OF THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION REQUIREMENTS FOR ACCESSION, AND BY FAR THE MOST CONTROVERSIAL LEGISLATION OF THE TRADE REGIME IN TERMS OF PUBLIC HEALTH.

THERE ARE SERIOUS QUESTIONS OF HOW THE AGREEMENT WILL AFFECT PRICES, PRODUCTION AND AVAILABILITY; RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FOR PRIORITY HEALTH PROBLEMS; AND FOREIGN INVESTMENT AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER TO DEVELOPING COUNTRIES.

THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION, PERSUADED BY LOBBY GROUPS AND DEVELOPING COUNTRIES NEGOTIATING ACCESSION TO THE WTO, IS MONITORING THE PUBLIC-HEALTH IMPLICATIONS OF GLOBAL-TRADE POLICIES. YOU MAY WELL KNOW THAT THERE HAS BEEN EXTREME PRESSURE ON WHO BY MANY COUNTRIES AND SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS TO WITHDRAW ITS DOCUMENT, "GLOBALIZATION AND ACCESS TO DRUGS". THIS STUDY REFLECTS THE WORLD COMMUNITY'S MORAL DILEMMA - FACILITATING ACCESS TO MEDICINES FOR THE WORLD'S MOST NEEDY.

AT THE SAME TIME, THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY MUST BE AFFORDED PATENT SAFEGUARDS TO ENCOURAGE RESEARCH INVESTMENT IN DEVELOPING LIFE-SAVING MEDICINES. BUT WE MUST FIND A WAY TO STRIKE A MORE HUMANE BALANCE.

TAKE A SNAPSHOT OF THE WORLD TODAY. DESPITE IMPROVED GLOBAL AVAILABILITY, AT LEAST ONE-THIRD OF THE WORLD'S POPULATION - OVER HALF IN THE POOREST PARTS OF AFRICA AND ASIA - STILL LACKS ACCESS TO ESSENTIAL DRUGS.

THE HIV/AIDS PANDEMIC ILLUSTRATES THE MAGNITUDE OF THE DILEMMA. FOR EXAMPLE, NINETY PERCENT OF THE WORLD'S 33 MILLION HIV/AIDS CASES ARE IN AFRICA, LATIN AMERICA, AND ASIA, WHERE THE VAST MAJORITY OF INFECTED PEOPLE CAN'T AFFORD THE COCKTAILS OF MIRACLE DRUGS THAT CAN TURN AIDS INTO A CHRONIC DISEASE RATHER THAN A DEATH SENTENCE. IN THE UNITED STATES, THE COMBINATION CAN COST $750 A MONTH, A FORTUNE FOR MOST THIRD WORLD RESIDENTS.

IN SOME COUNTRIES, ONE YEAR OF HIV TREATMENT COSTS THE EQUIVALENT OF 30 YEARS' INCOME. IN GUATEMALA, A CLINIC HOLDS A LOTTERY TO DECIDE WHICH PATIENTS WILL GET THE TRIPLE COCKTAIL AND HAVE A CHANCE TO EXTEND THEIR LIVES. CANCER, A SCOURGE THAT KILLS MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WORLD-WIDE CAN BE TRANSFORMED INTO A CURABLE DISEASE WHEN APPROPRIATE TREATMENT IS AVAILABLE. FOR EXAMPLE, CHILDHOOD LEUKEMIA IS A DISEASE THAT COULD BE CURED IN MORE THAN 60-80 PER CENT OF CASES AND A CHILD COULD GO ON AND LIVE A NORMAL LIFE - AGAIN WHEN MEDICINES ARE AVAILABLE. COST AND DRUG AVAILABILITY ARE MAJOR FACTORS IN CANCER THERAPY IN THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES WHERE MANY CHILDREN ARE LEFT WITHOUT A CHANCE.

THE REALITY IS THAT EVEN IN COMMUNITIES WHERE THERE IS SUFFICIENT HEALTH CARE INFRASTRUCTURE TO ADMINISTER LIFE SAVING THERAPIES, PEOPLE ARE DYING OF TREATABLE INFECTIONS SUCH AS TUBERCULOSIS, MALARIA, AND MENINGITIS BECAUSE OF HIGH PRICES.

IMMUNIZATION, THE GREATEST PUBLIC HEALTH STORY IN HISTORY, IS ENDANGERED DUE TO THE INCREASE IN COST OF A NEW GENERATION OF VACCINES. MEASLES KILLS MORE THAN ANY OTHER VACCINE-PREVENTABLE DISEASE - OVER 800,000 EVERY YEAR. UNICEF HAS WARNED THAT THE WORLD AS A WHOLE IS NOT DOING ALL IT CAN DO TO MAKE VACCINES AVAILABLE TO THE CHILDREN WHO NEED THEM. PRESIDENT CLINTON'S REMARKS TODAY AT THE UNITED NATIONS WERE ENCOURAGING. HE SAID: "TODAY, I COMMIT THE UNITED STATES TO A CONCERTED EFFORT TO ACCELERATE THE DEVELOPMENT AND DELIVERY OF VACCINES FOR MALARIA, TB, AIDS AND OTHER DISEASES DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTING THE DEVELOPING WORLD.

THERE IS NO CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF THE FAR-REACHING IMPLICATIONS OF THE TRIPS STRICTURES ON THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. IN JORDAN, THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY IS A MAJOR EMPLOYER, AND THE COUNTRY'S SECOND LARGEST SOURCE OF EXPORTS. THE MOVE FROM A LESS STRINGENT PATENT ENVIRONMENT TO A TRIPS RESTRICTED ENVIRONMENT WILL VERY LIKELY CAUSE A MAJOR DISRUPTION IN THE INDUSTRY UNTIL IT ADJUSTS TO THE NEW RULES OF ENGAGEMENT.

IT IS TRUE THAT LAX REGULATIONS AND PATENT LEGISLATION INCREASE THE VOLUME OF SUB-STANDARD, EXPIRED AND COUNTERFEIT DRUGS ON THE MARKET. AND NO DOUBT, WE ALL MUST EXPEND OUR EFFORTS TO ENSURE EFFECTIVE DRUG REGULATION AND TO PROMOTE QUALITY ASSURANCE FOR ALL PHARMACEUTICALS.

MANY DEVELOPING COUNTRIES WORKING TO GAIN ACCESSION ARE NOT NEGOTIATING ON A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD IN THEIR NEGOTIATIONS. THEY ARE BEING COMPELLED TO ACCEPT PROVISIONS THAT MAY NOT BE IN THEIR BEST PUBLIC HEALTH INTERESTS. THEY ARE ALSO FACING STRONG PRESSURE NOT TO ADOPT PROVISIONS TO WHICH THEY ARE ENTITLED UNDER TRIPS AS IN THE CASES OF SOUTH AFRICA AND THAILAND.

IRONICALLY, MANY DEVELOPED COUNTRIES FREQUENTLY, USE THESE CLAUSES SUCH AS COMPULSORY LICENSES AND PARALLEL IMPORTS, AND YET THEY ARE TRYING TO PREVENT DEVELOPING COUNTRIES FROM DOING THE SAME.

AS SRI LANKAN PROFESSOR KRISANTHA, A FORMER UN OFFICIAL, PUT IT: "AS A PUBLIC HEALTH WORKER IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD, I FEEL LIKE A CHILD BEING TOLD BY THE DEVELOPED WORLD 'DO AS WE SAY AND NOT AS WE DO.'"

THE DRUG INDUSTRY'S ARGUMENT THAT WITHOUT HIGH PRICES IN POOR COUNTRIES, THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO FUND RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IS HARDLY CONVINCING WHEN YOU CONSIDER THAT AT CURRENT PRICES ONLY A FEW ARE BUYING THESE MEDICINES. THREE-QUARTERS OF THE WORLD'S POPULATION CONSUME ONLY 14 PER CENT OF THE WORLD DRUG SUPPLY.

ANOTHER PROBLEM IS THAT FREE TRADE POLICIES ARE NOT ADDRESSING THE FAILURE TO DEVELOP AND MARKET AFFORDABLE MEDICINES FOR DISEASES MOST PREVALENT IN POOR REGIONS. GLOBALLY, WHO ESTIMATES THAT MORE THAN $56 BILLION A YEAR IS SPENT ON RESEARCH - BUT LESS THAN 10 PER CENT OF THAT SUM IS DIRECTED TOWARD DISEASES THAT AFFLICT 90 PER CENT OF THE WORLD'S POPULATION.

THE NEW GLOBAL RULES ON INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS MUST BALANCE THE NEED TO PROVIDE INCENTIVES FOR INNOVATION AGAINST THE NEED OF POOR COUNTRIES TO BENEFIT FROM THAT INNOVATION. GIANT CORPORATIONS ARE NOW SCURRYING TO PATENT EVERYTHING FROM THE HUMAN GENOME TO RAINFOREST BIODIVERSITY.

ESTABLISHING A NEW GLOBAL REGIME FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES - ESPECIALLY CONTROVERSIAL BIOTECHNOLOGIES -WILL REQUIRE GLOBAL COOPERATION, NOT PRESSURE TACTICS BY RICH COUNTRIES AND COMPANIES.

THERE IS NO ESCAPING FROM PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS AND NEW INSTITUTIONAL ALLIANCES TO FACE THESE CHALLENGES. THE WORLD COMMUNITY MUST INSIST THAT LIFE SAVING MEDICINES NOT BE TREATED AS NON-ESSENTIAL GOODS. THEY ARE NOT LEVIS JEANS OR PIRATED COMPUTER DISCS. GOVERNMENT'S PUBLIC HEALTH PRIORITIES AND BUSINESS INTERESTS OF COMPANIES SOMETIMES COINCIDE AND SOMETIMES DIVERGE. WHEN THEY CONFLICT GOVERNMENTS SHOULD ALWAYS HAVE THE ABILITY TO CHOOSE PUBLIC HEALTH AS A LEGITIMATE REASON FOR LIMITING COMMERCIAL INTERESTS AND RIGHTS.

NO DOUBT, TO DEVELOP NEW DRUGS WE NEED AN INNOVATIVE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY, WITH APPROPRIATE INCENTIVES FOR INNOVATION AND PROTECTION OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS.

THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT THERE IS SOME NEW THINKING ABOUT HOW TO RESPOND TO THESE CHALLENGES, BASED ON NEW ALLIANCES BETWEEN INDUSTRY AND THE PUBLIC SECTOR. AID AGENCIES AND DRUG COMPANIES ARE TALKING TO EACH OTHER IN MORE CONSTRUCTIVE WAYS THAN THEY ONCE DID. THE WORLD BANK, WHO AND OTHER BODIES HAVE FORMED ALLIANCES WITH THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY TO PROMOTE RESEARCH ON AFFORDABLE DRUGS FOR NEGLECTED TROPICAL AILMENTS.

HUMANITY AND CREATIVITY ARE NEEDED TO BRIDGE THE HUGE GULFS BETWEEN HUMAN NEEDS, SCIENTIFIC EFFORTS AND MARKET RETURNS. BECAUSE LONG GONE ARE THE DAYS WHEN JONAS SALK REFUSED TO PATENT POLIO VACCINE, SAYING THAT TO DO SO WOULD BE "LIKE PATENTING THE SUN."

MARTIN LUTHER KING ONCE SAID, "HUMAN PROGRESS IS NEITHER AUTOMATIC NOR INEVITABLE…WE ARE NOW FACED WITH THE FACT THAT TOMORROW IS TODAY. WE ARE CONFRONTED WITH THE FIERCE URGENCY OF NOW. IN THIS UNFOLDING CONUNDRUM OF LIFE IN HISTORY, THERE IS SUCH A THING AS BEING TOO LATE. THERE IS NO TIME FOR APATHY OR COMPLACENCY. THIS IS A TIME FOR VIGOROUS AND POSITIVE ACTION."

IT IS ALREADY TOO LATE FOR MILLIONS OF PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD. OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO ENSURE THAT FOR THE ONE THIRD OF THE WORLD'S POPULATION I MENTIONED, WHICH INCREASES TO OVER HALF IN THE POOREST PARTS OF AFRICA AND ASIA THAT LACK ACCESS TO ESSENTIAL DRUGS, THAT IT IS NOT TOO LATE FOR THEM.