Universities Allied for Essential Medicines and the Neglected Global Diseases Initiative invite you to a multimedia presentation on human rights and access to medicines. Jonathan Smith, Director of the Visual Ethnography Project at Yale University, will be giving an exclusive preview of an in-progress documentary about families caught up in the southern African HIV/TB co-epidemic. He will be describing his field data collected as a part of his graduate work in epidemiology, and hosting an open discussion on global health innovation.

“They Go to Die” is a documentary film-in-progress that surfaces issues of health, human rights, and legal complexities of TB and HIV in the gold mining industry of South Africa nonlinearly though the context of life, love, and family.

It follows four men that were sent home due to contracting TB in the mines and left with no access to medication. Though the men in the film that did not have access to care eventually succumbed to their illnesses and passed away, the film does not focus on their death, but rather the life that this process (termed ‘sending them home to die’) has taken away. The film tracks Jonathan Smith, a graduate American student as he goes where no one else has yet to go: into the homes of these men. As he travels to live with these African miners and their families, the film depicts bonding, cultural differences, and the challenges that each character faces in health and family life. They Go to Die is ultimately a story of humanity – a celebration of family and the power of relationships.

Video from the movie can be seen at: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/theygotodie/they-go-to-die-a-tb-hiv-and-human-rights-film

Please join us for this special presentation of “They Go to Die”
Date: 4:00PM, Friday, October 21st
Location: Norm Theatre, Student Union Building, UBC, 6138 Student Union Boulevard
Admission: Free

Background

As far back as 1903, South Africa’s Milner Commission Report stated that, “The extent to which miner’s [TB] prevails at the present time is so great, that preventative measures are an urgent necessity… and that such a large number of suffers in our midst is a matter of keen regret.” Skipping forward over a century, the Leon Commission Report states in 1996, “The failure to control TB in the mining industry is a matter of grave concern.” However, even with this historical narrative of public health outcry, in 2011 the South African Department of Health indicates that the South African mining industry has the highest rates of TB anywhere in the world by far: three times higher than the highest burdened countries. Because of this, new approaches to this topic must be looked at.

The film is a real-life account of an American graduate student (Smith) as he learns of the devastating impact South African mining industry has on the TB/HIV epidemic, and the blatant human rights violations that these workers face. As he sorts through a century of documented research on the issue, he comes to the sober realization that any further research on the issue will fail to enact change. Thus he begins his quest to find the mineworkers affected by this process. Initially only driven by the data that highlights the importance of this issue, he travels to rural southern Africa to live ethnographically with four ex-miners and their families. However, once he embarks on this journey he quickly discovers that their lives are more complex than simply ‘numbers’ that fill the pages of an academic journal. As the film develops the never-before-seen lives of these miners, the viewer is made aware of the challenges that each miner faces in health and family life and witnesses Smith’s personal change as he overcomes cultural differences to create a personal bond with the men and their families. Despite this revolution, the film ends with the reality of the health situation of these men, and brings to life the gripping reality and importance of lack of access to essential medicines.

About the Speaker

Jonathan Smith filmed, edited, and is director of the documentary “They Go to Die”. He earned his Master’s of Public Health at Yale University with dual concentrations in Global Health Epidemiology and Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases. He has lived, worked, and researched ethnographically in a number of unique settings, ranging from obscure Andean Quechua villages to urban Jamaican slums. He is founder and director of the Visual Ethnography Project at Yale University. Due to his extensive work as an ethnographic researcher, he was awarded the Yale University GHLI Field Experience Award in 2010 and the distinguished Lowell S. Levin Award for Excellence in Global Health from Yale University in 2011.

For more information, please contact info@ubc-uaem.org

Universities Allied for Essential Medicines (UAEM) is a student group that tackles these issues through hands-on advocacy. We have already had a lot of success at UBC and other universities, but there is a lot of work left to do, and we need your help! Want to learn more?

UAEM INTRODUCTORY SEMINAR
Monday, October 3rd, 2011
5:00pm – 8:00pm
Abdul Ladha Science Students’ Centre
UBC Campus

Please join us for this comprehensive introduction to crucial global health topics such as drug development, patenting, and access to treatment — whether you’d like to get involved, or just learn about these important issues.

Videos, slides, and speaking notes from all the presentations will be available following the event. Check back here soon!

Refreshments will be provided.

RSVP: info@ubc-uaem.org (appreciated but not required!)

We hope to see you there!

Download poster

UAEM is an international group of students dedicated to equity and the social justice in the provision of healthcare around the world.  Specifically, we leverage our position as students to ensure that all patients in need have access to the fruits of biomedical research carried out at universities.  Many of the world’s most essential medicines are wholly or partly developed in academic laboratories. Their accessibility to the poor in developing countries is profoundly affected by the research, licensing and patenting decisions made by universities.

Joining UAEM (pronounced “you-aim”) is easy; sign-up to be on our mailing list by e-mailing us: info@ubc-uaem.org. There, you’ll get notices about all of our upcoming meetings and events.  The best way to learn more about how you can get involved is to come to one of our meetings.

For a quick and inspirational introduction to UAEM and the work we do, check out this 20 minute TEDxTerry video by Mike Gretes, former UBC-UAEM Chair.

This year, we are excited to launch a number of new projects, including a collaboration with other Canadian chapters to encourage the adoption of socially responsible licensing practices by all research universities in Canada, and to increase funding for research on neglected and tropical diseases.  We will continue to offer our annual Introductory Seminar, present to UBC classes, host a movie night, give talks at conferences, and many more educational and outreach activities.

We warmly welcome anyone who would like to join our chapter in the worldwide push for equitable access to essential medicines.  Please e-mail us soon; we look forward to hearing from you!

- Natco Pharma files India’s first compulsory licence plea – India Times
Generic manufacturer Natco Pharma has filed India’s firct compulsory license plea, for the liver and kidney cancer drug Nexavar. This case could set an important precedent for affordabel drug production, as the article states, “a development whose outcome is expected to determine how global drug makers price their costly drugs in India.”

- Swaziland to test entire population for HIV – Radio Netherlands
Swaziland, country with highest HIV infection rate in the world, is planning to Swaziland plans to test its entire adult population for HIV. This would would be the first time any country has attempted such a program. Currently, a steady flow of reports is coming out of the country describing chronic drug shortages and HIV/AIDS patients protesting over access to ARVs (http://bit.ly/nCqgXe).

-Stephen Lewis to speak at UBC – NGDI
Politician, diplomat, author, humanitarian, HIV activism pioneer Stephen Lewis will be speaking at NGDI’s Distinguished Lectureship Seminar. Check out his bio at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Lewis and some of his speeches on Youtube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EkIQBmJ_VM). The poster for the vent is here (http://bit.ly/qyIYsU) and registration is required here (http://bit.ly/oW5qly). Come help represent UBC-UAEM at this event!

- Canadian innovators win global competition to tackle maternal health – Globe & Mail
Some very exciting news here at home — A UBC biomedical engineering team has been awarded $250,000 mobile device for testing oxygen levels in resource-limited settings, and have a shot at winning another $2 million. The grant is jointly funded by Grand Challengers Canada, the United States Agency for International Development, Norway’s Foreign Ministry, the World Bank, and the Gates Foundation. The Phone Oximeter can be used in several contexts, including the management of pre-eclampsia, and has already undergone field tests in Uganda.

Two videos to check out:
- Intro to the project, featuring some karaoke to Queen and Journey (!): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jh7aW1__HdA
- Drs. Mark Ansermino and Peter von Dadelszen describing the device on Canada AM: http://www.ctv.ca/canadaAMPlayer/index.html?video=511527

Dr. Walter Karlen of the Phone Oximeter team will be applying for a Rising Star in Global Health grant in the upcoming round. This will be an interesting project to watch. The project’s site is at http://www.phoneoximeter.org/

- James is cycling 600 miles to university… in Germany! – Halifax Courier
Hats off the James Hutton, who has cycled 1000 km for neglected and tropical disease control! The 20-year-old Cambridge student is touring through England, the Netherlands, and Germany to raise funds and awareness for the Schistosomiasis Control Initiative (http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/schisto), an organization that works on NTD treatment and prevention. Follow his progress at http://halifaxtoheidelberg.blogspot.com/

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PUB NIGHT

We’re excited to host 3 members of the Central Michigan University chapter of UAEM on campus next week! They are here to visit and network with us and to learn about UBC’s adoption of global access licensing principles, neglected disease research, etc. As part of the activities, we are hosting a pub night on Thrusday, August 18th at the Fringe Cafe (3124 Broadway – http://bit.ly/qhac0K). Come on out and meet our visitors and join us for some lively discussion!

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- UAEM submission to WHO Consultative Working Group (CEWG)
UAEM presents several models to increase global health impact of publicly-funded medical innovation: 1) global access licensing, 2) open research, development and publishing 3) patent pools, 4) de-linking R&D costs from drug prices. Authored by Unni Gopinathan and Bryan Collinsworth.

- 40,000 strong: How 2 UBC students rallied their student body behind an OA mandate – Right to Research Coalition
Goldis Chami and Gordana Panic on their efforts to convince UBC to make research publications more accessible: “We believe that such widespread student support for OA across our campus is significant, and want to leverage this to encourage the university to adopt an OA mandate in partnership with others.”

- Access to medicines problems in Zimbabwe and Sierra Leone
Over 300,000 people living with HIV in Zimbabwe are failing to access ARVs due to inadequate funding. A newspaper in Sierra Leone is reporting an acute shortage of TB drugs at local hospitals: patients have been without medication for months and hospitals are turning away new cases.

- First meeting of BRICS health ministers brings new leadership to global health – UNAIDS
Universal access to medicines was a key topic of discussion at the first-ever meeting of health ministers from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) in Beijing. The ministers signed a “Beijing Declaration” committing the countries to work together to enhance medicine production capacity and expand access to medicines.

- Poor countries set to benefit from patent agreement on AIDS drugs – Guardian
Major news as Gilead has agreed to enter several AIDS drugs into the Medicines Patent Pool. See here for a useful FAQ on the details of the Gilead deal. MSF has commented on the limitations of the agreement, particularly the exclusion of some middle-income countries.
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For as-it-happens news, follow UBC-UAEM on Twitter

The goal of this meeting is to brainstorm ways to advocate that Canada’s major science and health funding agencies (NSERC and CIHR) place more emphasis on globally relevant research, increase support for research into neglected diseases, and ensure that products of research at Canadian universities are accessible all around the world.

In preparation, please read Health Research in Canada and You. CIHR has published this online booklet describing their history, organization, mandate, evaluation process, citizen engagement, and opportunities for public input.

Come join us for a discussion on global health research funding in Canada. Please RSVP if you can attend.

Hi everyone,

Welcome to the inaugural edition of UAEM Express – a weekly roundup of the latest access to medicines news and information.

- Compulsory licensing of generic drugs remains mired in quagmires – CMAJ

http://www.cmaj.ca/content/early/2011/06/27/cmaj.109-3898.long

The struggle to implement a workable model for generics licensing in Canada continues, while new IP developments in India mean its role as pharmacy to the developing world is changing.  Co-authored by UBC-UAEM alumna Goldis Chami.

- South-South cooperation: Intellectual property and AIDS medicines – United Nations University

http://bit.ly/p3kF4w

On the global reaction to recent access to medicines developments.  ”The limits of the Canadian CAMR regime and the unwillingness of other industrialized countries to expand TRIPS flexibilities will leave most developing countries with the only option of pursuing South-South cooperation.”

- TB & Me: Real stories of people living with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis – MSF

http://msf.ca/blogs/tb/

A series of blogs from MDR-TB patients in India, the Philippines, Swaziland, Uganda, and Australia sharing their experiences with treatment and other day-to-day challenges.  The bloggers are answering questions asked in the comments sections!

- Free university offers online training for health care workers – Vancouver Sun

http://bit.ly/oSM6f8

By funding global health research in Canada, we can help support and improve the health of people everywhere.  We need to get this message out to funding agencies, as well as the Canadian public.  This article profiles two BC-based global health projects that are moving forward thanks to new funding, including UBC’s own TB researcher Santiago Ramon-Garcia.   The article was featured prominently on page A2 of Thursday’s Vancouver Sun.  Co-authored by former McGill UAEMer and current UBC Journalism grad student Stephanie Law.  Much appreciation to Stephanie for getting the word out on this topic.

- We Can End Malaria – Gates Foundation

http://www.gatesfoundation.org/infographics/Pages/we-can-end-malaria.aspx

Visualize the progress made against malaria with an interactive infographic.  Check out the relative contributions of different preventative and intervention strategies at the bottom of the map.

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- For as-it-happens news, follow http://twitter.com/UBC_UAEM

- Have a link to share?  Send it to uaem.express@gmail.com for inclusion in the next Express

- Want to help get our message out and build a critical mass of support for the next version of Bill C-393?  Come tweet with us at http://twitter.com/UBC_UAEM !  Contact uaem.express@gmail.com for access.

1. Round Table and Discussion
Dr. Clive Ondari
World Health Organization

Thursday, June 16, 2011, 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM
Room #102
School of Population and Public Health, UBC (2206 East Mall)

A joint presentation of the School of Population and Public Health and the Neglected Global Diseases Initiative. From the event description, “Dr. Clive Ondari is the Head: Policy, Access and Rational Use of Medicines (PAR), Department of Medicines Policy and Standards (HTP/PSM) at WHO and a world expert in essential drug, indigenous medicines and better (safe) medicines for children. This event will be facilitated by Dr. Jerry Spiegel, Director, Global Health, Liu Institue of Global Issues, Associate Professor, SPPH”.

2. “Developing Vaccines Against Pediatric Bacterial Diarrhea: Why is the Path so Difficult?”
Dr. Philippe Sansonetti
Professor, Collège de France
Chair, Microbiology & Infectious Diseases, Pasteur Institute, Paris
2011 Wall Distinguished Visiting Professor

Monday, June 20, 2011, 4:00 PM
Vancouver General Hospital
Paetzold Health Education Centre, Lecture Theatre
1st floor, Jim Pattison Pavilion, (899 West 12th Avenue, map: http://bit.ly/kN11t0)

Dr. Sansonetti is a leading researcher of the bacterium Shigella flexneri, a major cause of diarrhea with an incredible 164.7 million cases globally. Of the 1.1 million who die from Shigella infections annually, an estimated 61% are less than 5 years old. According to the event listing, “progress will be reviewed, failures will be analysed, novel approaches and concepts will be presented.”

More information:
The Lancet: New Decade of the Vaccine special
WHO information on Shigella vaccine research
Dr. Sansonetti’s publications

UBC-UAEM’s summer session kicked off with a successful Strategic Retreat. A huge thanks to everyone who came out — so many fresh faces and great ideas! Minutes from the meeting will be available soon.

We hope you can join us for the next breakfast meeting, happening Saturday, May 28th, 9-10am at Sonja’s apartment. Pancakes will be available! An agenda for the meeting will be available soon. Please e-mail Sonja to RSVP or for directions to her apartment.

In the meantime, our new Twitter feed is live at: http://twitter.com/UBC_UAEM. Everyone is welcome to contribute.

See you all on Saturday!