Poverty and Access to Medicine: A Medico Legal Study

Abstract

The right to health as a basic human right- and access to medicine as a part of it- have been a matter
of attention for several decades. Also the responsibilities of different parties- particularly pharmaceutical
companies- in realization of this right have been emphasized by World Health Organization. This is while
many companies find no incentive for research and development of medicines related to rare diseases. Also
some legal structures such as “patent agreements” clearly cause huge difficulties for access to medicine
in many countries. High prices of brand medicine and no legal production of generics can increase the
catastrophic costs- as well as morbidity-mortality of medication in lower income countries. Here we
evidently review the current challenges in access to medicine and critically assess its legal roots. How
societies/governors can make the pharmaceutical companies responsible is also discussed to have a look on
possible future and actions that policy makers- in local or global level- can take.