The lack of access to essential medicines (as defined by the WHO) is a significant risk to human security. Most epidemics in developing countries cannot be well handled due to either a significant lack in affordability of essential medicines because of WTO patenting procedures (as well as domestic lobbies), or due to the lack of research done on epidemics prevalent almost exclusively in the developing world. This collectively leads to a lack of access to essential medicines for diseases that have an extremely high impact on the human security, productivity and economic development of a country. The reasons leading to this gap in essential medicines are various, complex and structured at many different levels- international, national and regional. This conference will aim to shed light on these reasons and critically analyse them, highlighting the importance of this gap in access to essential medicines and its effects on a population.

When

Global Health and Human Security Conference 2010: The Lack of Access to Essential Medicines March 26 - 28, 2010.

GHHS Breakout Session Topics:

1. CAMR: The Role of Canada
2. Comparing the Role of Universities: A Case Study
3. The US and Thailand: a Global Governance Issue
4. The Problem with Free Medicines: A Case Study on Contextualisation

Keynote Reception Agenda

4:00 - 5:00^pm → Registration, pick up name tags
5:00^pm → Opening Remarks
5:10^pm → Dr. Jeremy Greene, Harvard University
5:30^pm → Mr. Firoz Rasul, Aga Khan Council of Canada
6:30^pm → Closing Remarks and Announcements