Deal for cheap medicines falls through - WTO

[dArKeR]

World Trade Organisation (WTO) members on Friday failed to reach a deal on ensuring patent rules do not bar access to cheap medicines for poor countries, after problems prevented a deal at the eleventh hour.

Although the 146 WTO countries earlier agreed to pass on a proposed compromise for approval by the body's ruling general council, it failed to win overall backing.

"There is no deal. We need more time," WTO spokesperson Keith Rockwell told reporters, adding the council's chairperson Carlos Perez del Castillo would hold further talks from as early as later on Friday.

A breakthrough on Wednesday, when five key countries involved in trying to resolve the longstanding problem agreed on a proposed solution, had led to high hopes for an endorsement by the other 141 states.

http://www.mg.co.za/Content/l3.asp?ao=19752

Give me some truth. Who's behind this, Bush or the Drug companies or both?

http://darkerxdarker.tripod.com/

[Wednesdays]

1. They just need to build Wal-Marts in all those countries...

and give them 10% discount coupons. That'll solve the problem.

Yeah, right. :(