16/05/03

Pfizer faces new pressure to help world’s poor

By: Sarah Boseley and Nils Pratley

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<h1>Pfizer faces new pressure to help world’s poor</h1>
<h4>By: Sarah Boseley and Nils Pratley</h4>
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<p>It is the biggest and most powerful drug company on the planet. But Pfizer’s global reach has not turned the world’s third largest business into a benevolent giant, according to its critics. Instead, the vast multinational stands accused of blocking reforms to global drug pricing that would help lift impoverished countries out of disease and spur their development. <BR><BR>In this article <em>Sarah Boseley and Nils Pratley</em> describe how critics are asking increasingly urgent questions about Pfizer’s attitude to those who need medicines in poor countries, saying that the company should take a lead in conceding a system of low prices in the developing world. <BR><BR>Critics also warn that the battle for drugs is no longer limited to AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis and similar infectious pandemics. Before long, the struggle will inevitably move on to the insidious and profitable diseases that affect millions in rich countries as well as poor, such as cancer. <BR><BR><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/Print/0,3858,4653957,00.html" target="_blank" onclick="pageTracker._trackPageview('/tracking/external/'+this.href);" rel="noopener noreferrer">Link to full <em>Guardian</em> article</A></p>

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<p>This article was originally published on <a href="https://www.scidev.net" target="_blank">SciDev.Net</a>. Read the <a href="https://www.scidev.net/global/features/pfizer-faces-new-pressure-to-help-worlds-poor/" target="_blank">original article</a>.</p>
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It is the biggest and most powerful drug company on the planet. But Pfizer’s global reach has not turned the world’s third largest business into a benevolent giant, according to its critics. Instead, the vast multinational stands accused of blocking reforms to global drug pricing that would help lift impoverished countries out of disease and spur their development.

In this article Sarah Boseley and Nils Pratley describe how critics are asking increasingly urgent questions about Pfizer’s attitude to those who need medicines in poor countries, saying that the company should take a lead in conceding a system of low prices in the developing world.

Critics also warn that the battle for drugs is no longer limited to AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis and similar infectious pandemics. Before long, the struggle will inevitably move on to the insidious and profitable diseases that affect millions in rich countries as well as poor, such as cancer.

Link to full Guardian article