I think most of us were pretty surprised (to say the least) at the outcome of the election, but now that heads have stopped spinning it’s time to collect ourselves and get planning.
Although a Conservative government is not as sympathetic to our campaign asks as we would like – for example they want to abolish the human rights act and make accessing HIV healthcare harder for migrants – they did say something positive about changing the way we do medical R&D in their manifesto.
They want to:
It is our job to hold the government to account over this commitment and to work hard to ensure that this ‘global programme’ produces vaccines and drugs for those who need them most at affordable prices whilst encouraging further innovation through collective research.
We still believe that the best way for the government to ensure that this global programme fulfils this criteria is for them to systematically address our three campaign asks. Which are to:
1) Test it: do a cost benefit analysis of our current system for developing medicines versus MSF’s 3Ps approach
2) Prove it: fund a pilot of MSF’s 3Ps approach to show that a new model can produce results
and
3) Do it: lead the world in giving 0.01% of GNI (Global National Income) to a global fund for research on diseases that affect low and middle income countries.
Read more about the #MissingMedicines Campaign here.
What’s the plan?
We don’t sit still for long.Right from the very get go we want this new government to know that young people in the UK care about ensuring that all people can access safe, affordable medicines.
On Tuesday June 9th we will be welcoming back MPs as part of Restless Development’s ‘Restless Welcome’ Day to do just that. See below for the running order of the day and remember we can cover travel food and travel costs for the day.
So sign up here! And edit and send this invitation to meet your MP.
Plan for the day
10.00 – 12.00 Parliamentary Training Session
12.00 – 12.30 Campaign briefing on one of the issues you would like to represent:
Action/2015 – Join the global movement raising our voices against poverty, inequality and climate change, demanding that the UK government supports ambitious new development goals (SDGs) and climate change action in the crucial year of 2015.
Student Stop AIDS – Young people who believe the world’s response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic is insufficient and unacceptable, working to ensure access to medicines for all.
Tax Dodging Bill – Making tax fair and raising money in the UK and developing countries to fight poverty by demanding a Tax Dodging Bill.
12.30 – 13.30 Lunch
13.30 – 15.30 Meet your MP in Parliament
15.30 – 16.30 Big finale
If you cannot make it on the 9th but would still like to get involved, let us know! We can then support you to meet with your new MP in your own constituency. Find out who your new MP is here.