Medicines for People, Not Profit! Support student activism at universities

The World Health Organization reports that millions of people die every year, even though adequate medical therapies exist for their treatment. One reason is that new, innovative drugs, vaccines, and diagnostics are priced out of reach for most people in the world, leaving many unable to access life-saving treatments. Biomedical research primarily takes place where money can be made, neglecting so-called "poverty-associated" and "neglected" diseases. 

At the same time, millions of public funds are being invested in biomedical research at European universities each year. Nevertheless, innovations resulting from publicly funded research are often commercialised without considerations for access.

Students at universities therefore have a unique opportunity to advocate for conditions to be attached to the use of public research results. At Universities Allied for Essential Medicines (UAEM) Europe, students from over nine European countries work together to ensure that universities prioritize the public good over profit when commercializing publicly funded innovations.

Thanks to our efforts, UAEM Europe has already helped universities to implement fairer rules for technology transfers and attached conditions to the granting of licenses at, for example, the University of Edinburgh in the UK. But there is still much work to be done.

We need your help to win over more universities and establish socially responsible licensing of publicly funded innovations as a common practice in Europe. Your support can help ensure that medicines can reach those who need them, regardless of their ability to pay.

Please donate to UAEM Europe today and help us in our fight for equitable access to life-saving drugs.