{"id":2134,"date":"2013-06-20T15:55:35","date_gmt":"2013-06-20T15:55:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.aidslaw.ca\/newsite\/?page_id=2134"},"modified":"2022-11-04T20:30:32","modified_gmt":"2022-11-05T00:30:32","slug":"access-to-medicines","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/our-work\/access-to-medicines\/?lang=en","title":{"rendered":"Access to Medicines"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2 class=\"header2\">Overview<\/h2>\n<p>The need for global, equitable access to medicines is urgent. Too many people in developing countries are dying because medicines are not available at prices they can afford and health agencies have limited budgets to pay high prices for brand-name drugs. People die because they cannot afford to buy life.<\/p>\n<p><b>Our work focuses on<\/b> laws and policies that affect access to antiretroviral and other medicines, such as patents rules in international trade agreements and domestic legislation regulating the price of medicines.<\/p>\n<p>This includes ensuring access to<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>comprehensive care, treatment and support for people living with HIV;<\/li>\n<li>diagnostic tools (such as HIV testing kits), antiretroviral treatment, and other medicines; and<\/li>\n<li>other kinds of health and support services, including treatment for people with immune systems weakened by HIV, sexual and reproductive health services, addiction treatment, and mental health services.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"su-divider su-divider-style-default\" style=\"margin:15px 0;border-width:1px;border-color:#ccc\"><\/div>\n<h2>Learn more:<\/h2>\n<div class=\"our-work learn-more\">\n<div class=\"su-tabs su-tabs-style-default su-tabs-mobile-stack\" data-active=\"1\" data-scroll-offset=\"0\" data-anchor-in-url=\"no\"><div class=\"su-tabs-nav\"><span class=\"\" data-url=\"\" data-target=\"blank\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\">Publications<\/span><span class=\"\" data-url=\"\" data-target=\"blank\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\">News<\/span><\/div><div class=\"su-tabs-panes\"><div class=\"su-tabs-pane su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\" data-title=\"Publications\">\n<div class=\"su-spacer\" style=\"height:20px\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"su-divider su-divider-style-default\" style=\"margin:15px 0;border-width:1px;border-color:#ccc\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"su-spacer\" style=\"height:20px\"><\/div>\n\r\n\r\n<div class=\"su-posts su-posts-default-loop \">\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<div id=\"su-post-25936\" class=\"su-post \">\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"su-post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/video-hard-time-persists-immigration\/?lang=en\">Video &#8211; Hard Time Persists &#8211; Immigration<\/a><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"su-post-meta\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\tPublished: April 28, 2026\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"su-post-excerpt\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<p>Everyone \u2014 including people who have been detained \u2014 has a right to the highest attainable standard of health and to healthcare that is at least equivalent to that which is available in the community, whatever their immigration status. The current system \u2014 which allows for indefinite and punitive detention without comprehensive oversight \u2014 fails &#8230; <a title=\"Video &#8211; Hard Time Persists &#8211; Immigration\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/video-hard-time-persists-immigration\/\" aria-label=\"More on Video &#8211; Hard Time Persists &#8211; Immigration\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<div id=\"su-post-25869\" class=\"su-post \">\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"su-post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/perspectives-on-prison-programs\/?lang=en\">PERSPECTIVES ON PRISON PROGRAMS<\/a><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"su-post-meta\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\tPublished: April 17, 2026\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"su-post-excerpt\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<div id=\"su-post-25861\" class=\"su-post \">\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"su-post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/indigenous-community-dialogues-summary-report-other-major-findings\/?lang=en\">INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY DIALOGUES SUMMARY REPORT &#8211; OTHER MAJOR FINDINGS<\/a><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"su-post-meta\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\tPublished: April 17, 2026\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"su-post-excerpt\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<p>This summary report presents important findings from six Indigenous community dialogues conducted across Canada from 2023-2025. The dialogues were organized by the HIV Legal Network and CAAN Communities, Alliances &amp; Networks as part of a broader project examining Indigenous Peoples\u2019 lived experiences with HIV, hepatitis C (HCV), and other sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections (STBBIs).<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<div id=\"su-post-25514\" class=\"su-post \">\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"su-post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/letter-to-csc-health-services-oat-policy-changes-october-1-2025\/?lang=en\">Letter to CSC Health Services OAT Policy Changes &#8211; October 1, 2025<\/a><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"su-post-meta\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\tPublished: February 17, 2026\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"su-post-excerpt\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<p>This letter &#8211; co-signed by the HIV Legal Network and other organizations that work directly with or advocate for the rights-respecting treatment of people in federal custody &#8211; shares serious concerns about the impacts of the October 1, 2025 changes to Correctional Services Canada\u2019s Opioid Agonist Treatment policy, including the delisting of Suboxone and the &#8230; <a title=\"Letter to CSC Health Services OAT Policy Changes &#8211; October 1, 2025\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/letter-to-csc-health-services-oat-policy-changes-october-1-2025\/\" aria-label=\"More on Letter to CSC Health Services OAT Policy Changes &#8211; October 1, 2025\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<div id=\"su-post-25481\" class=\"su-post \">\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"su-post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/information-for-federally-incarcerated-individuals-opioid-agonist-treatment-in-csc\/?lang=en\">Information for Federally Incarcerated Individuals &#8211; Opioid Agonist Treatment in CSC<\/a><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"su-post-meta\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\tPublished: January 16, 2026\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"su-post-excerpt\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<p>Correctional Service Canada (CSC) recently changed the OAT medications available to people in federal prisons. As of October 1, 2025, Suboxone is no longer part of CSC\u2019s National Formulary. Suboxone has been replaced by Sublocade as the first-line treatment option for opioid use disorder (OUD). If you are on Suboxone, you will be asked to &#8230; <a title=\"Information for Federally Incarcerated Individuals &#8211; Opioid Agonist Treatment in CSC\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/information-for-federally-incarcerated-individuals-opioid-agonist-treatment-in-csc\/\" aria-label=\"More on Information for Federally Incarcerated Individuals &#8211; Opioid Agonist Treatment in CSC\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\r\n<\/div>\r\n\n<div class=\"su-spacer\" style=\"height:20px\"><\/div>\n<p><a class=\"search-all\" href=\"..\/publications\/?lang=en&amp;_sft_publication_topics=access-to-medicines\">Search all publications<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"su-spacer\" style=\"height:20px\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"su-tabs-pane su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\" data-title=\"News\">\n<div class=\"su-spacer\" style=\"height:20px\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"su-divider su-divider-style-default\" style=\"margin:15px 0;border-width:1px;border-color:#ccc\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"su-spacer\" style=\"height:20px\"><\/div>\n\r\n\r\n<div class=\"su-posts su-posts-default-loop \">\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<div id=\"su-post-25215\" class=\"su-post \">\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"su-post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/media-statement-canada-must-show-leadership-for-global-funds-eighth-replenishment\/?lang=en\">MEDIA STATEMENT: Canada Must Show Leadership for Global Fund\u2019s Eighth Replenishment<\/a><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"su-post-meta\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\tPublished: October 20, 2025\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"su-post-excerpt\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<p>International Frontline Advocates in Ottawa to Rally Support for Critical Programming on Health and Human Rights &nbsp; This statement can be attributed to the HIV Legal Network October 20, 2025 \u2013 OTTAWA\/TORONTO \u2013 Tomorrow \u2014 one month from the day that the Eighth Replenishment event for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria &#8230; <a title=\"MEDIA STATEMENT: Canada Must Show Leadership for Global Fund\u2019s Eighth Replenishment\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/media-statement-canada-must-show-leadership-for-global-funds-eighth-replenishment\/\" aria-label=\"More on MEDIA STATEMENT: Canada Must Show Leadership for Global Fund\u2019s Eighth Replenishment\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<div id=\"su-post-23835\" class=\"su-post \">\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"su-post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/canada-must-take-a-human-rights-based-approach-to-hiv-self-testing\/?lang=en\">Canada Must Take a Human Rights-Based Approach to HIV Self-Testing<\/a><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"su-post-meta\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\tPublished: November 23, 2023\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"su-post-excerpt\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<p>On International Testing Week, more than 40 organizations from across Canada sign statement of support This statement can be attributed to the HIV Legal Network, HIV &amp; AIDS Legal Clinic Ontario and the Canadian AIDS Society. Toronto, ON (November 23, 2023) \u2013 Today, more than 40 health and human rights organizations across the country have &#8230; <a title=\"Canada Must Take a Human Rights-Based Approach to HIV Self-Testing\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/canada-must-take-a-human-rights-based-approach-to-hiv-self-testing\/\" aria-label=\"More on Canada Must Take a Human Rights-Based Approach to HIV Self-Testing\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<div id=\"su-post-20040\" class=\"su-post \">\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"su-post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/media-statement-world-aids-day-2021-forty-years-of-hiv-forty-years-of-progress\/?lang=en\">MEDIA STATEMENT: WORLD AIDS DAY 2021: FORTY YEARS OF HIV, FORTY YEARS OF PROGRESS<\/a><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"su-post-meta\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\tPublished: November 30, 2021\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"su-post-excerpt\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<p>WORLD AIDS DAY 2021: FORTY YEARS OF HIV, FORTY YEARS OF PROGRESS The following can be attributed to the HIV Legal Network. \u00a0 November 30, 2021 \u2013 Toronto \u2013 Tomorrow is World AIDS Day \u2014 a day to reflect on the current state of HIV and AIDS in the world, where we started, and how &#8230; <a title=\"MEDIA STATEMENT: WORLD AIDS DAY 2021: FORTY YEARS OF HIV, FORTY YEARS OF PROGRESS\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/media-statement-world-aids-day-2021-forty-years-of-hiv-forty-years-of-progress\/\" aria-label=\"More on MEDIA STATEMENT: WORLD AIDS DAY 2021: FORTY YEARS OF HIV, FORTY YEARS OF PROGRESS\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<div id=\"su-post-20028\" class=\"su-post \">\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"su-post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/human-rights-advocates-eye-legal-action-against-canadian-german-norwegian-and-uk-governments-over-global-covid-vaccine-inequality\/?lang=en\">Human rights advocates eye legal action against Canadian, German, Norwegian and UK governments over global COVID vaccine inequality<\/a><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"su-post-meta\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\tPublished: November 25, 2021\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"su-post-excerpt\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<p>Human rights advocates eye legal action against Canadian, German, Norwegian and UK governments over global COVID vaccine inequality Coordinated legal efforts call on \u201crecalcitrant\u201d governments to support proposed waiver of COVID-related intellectual property monopolies at the WTO 25 November 2021 Human rights lawyers have threatened legal action against the German, Norwegian, and Canadian governments today &#8230; <a title=\"Human rights advocates eye legal action against Canadian, German, Norwegian and UK governments over global COVID vaccine inequality\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/human-rights-advocates-eye-legal-action-against-canadian-german-norwegian-and-uk-governments-over-global-covid-vaccine-inequality\/\" aria-label=\"More on Human rights advocates eye legal action against Canadian, German, Norwegian and UK governments over global COVID vaccine inequality\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<div id=\"su-post-17452\" class=\"su-post \">\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"su-post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/statement-religious-beliefs-must-not-interfere-with-patients-rights-to-accessible-health-care\/?lang=en\">Statement: Religious beliefs must not interfere with patients\u2019 rights to accessible health care<\/a><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"su-post-meta\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\tPublished: January 18, 2019\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"su-post-excerpt\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<p>The Canadian HIV\/AIDS Legal Network, the Canadian Professional Association for Transgender Health (CPATH) and the HIV &amp; AIDS Legal Clinic Ontario (HALCO), are jointly intervening in a landmark case before the Court of Appeal for Ontario regarding whether doctors can put their personal religious beliefs ahead of patients\u2019 rights to health care.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\r\n<\/div>\r\n\n<div class=\"su-spacer\" style=\"height:20px\"><\/div>\n<p><a class=\"search-all\" href=\"..\/newsroom\/?lang=en&amp;_sft_publication_topics=access-to-medicines\">Search all news articles<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"su-spacer\" style=\"height:20px\"><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Overview The need for global, equitable access to medicines is urgent. Too many people in developing countries are dying because medicines are not available at prices they can afford and health agencies have limited budgets to pay high prices for brand-name drugs. People die because they cannot afford to buy life. Our work focuses on &#8230; <a title=\"Statement: Religious beliefs must not interfere with patients\u2019 rights to accessible health care\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/statement-religious-beliefs-must-not-interfere-with-patients-rights-to-accessible-health-care\/\" aria-label=\"More on Statement: Religious beliefs must not interfere with patients\u2019 rights to accessible health care\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":22722,"parent":9,"menu_order":60,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2134","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2134","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2134"}],"version-history":[{"count":30,"href":"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2134\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22951,"href":"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2134\/revisions\/22951"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22722"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2134"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}