Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-03-27-Speech-4-023"
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"en.20030327.1.4-023"2
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"Mr President, Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, the Commission’s study, which supports this proposal, is both terrifying and encouraging. It is terrifying because it presents a tragic view of the health situation in countries where the three major scourges of this century which we are discussing are concentrated: AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis claim more than five million victims every year. AIDS is the most recent scourge with, however, 90% of cases found mainly in developing countries and 70% in Sub-Saharan Africa: there are more than 40 million infected people. Malaria reappeared in the 1970s and claims one million victims each year. Tuberculosis, which has been eradicated from western countries, kills two million people each year, perhaps also, as with malaria, owing to the so-called developed countries irresponsibly lowering their guard.
It is encouraging because of the figures on the new effort being made by all the Member States, which have appropriated EUR 600 million for research in addition to the 100 million stipulated by the Fifth Framework Programme. It is now important that this programme reaches the recipients directly, overcoming the usual problem of the extremely high cost of medicines, especially for countries which do not have the necessary budgets and which need considerable assistance. I would therefore reiterate a proposal which has already been put forward in order to cut these costs: the abolition of all royalties for medicines, making, if possible, not just the European Union pharmaceutical companies assume their responsibilities but those all over the world. In conclusion, it is important for our political activity not to be yet again an end in itself, restricted just to debate in this Chamber: for once, when the Member States and other countries, in conjunction, intend to take real action, let us give an example of pragmatism and responsibility. Certainly, the Charter of Fundamental Rights matters more than market rules."@en1
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