Ottawa proposes law to get cheap drugs into hands of world's poorest peopl

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/cpress/20031106/ca_pr_on_na/third_world_drugs_3

OTTAWA (CP) - Medicines to ease pain suffered by millions of victims of AIDS (news - web sites), tuberculosis and other diseases could flow by next year under a new federal law aimed at getting low-cost drugs to the world's poorest countries.



A bill introduced Thursday makes Canada the first country to take steps to offer low-cost medications to poor nations hit by epidemics such as malaria.


The amendments to Canada's Patent Act and the Food and Drug Act come after changes to global trade rules cleared the way for poor countries to import cheap copies of patented drugs for treatment of killer diseases.


"(This) will allow treatment for millions of poor people suffering from terrible diseases," said Trade Minister Pierre Pettigrew, one of several cabinet ministers involved in the new legislation.


"I think we will become a model among other developed countries ... this message will be heard around the world."

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I only wish this message would be heard in DC.