The social contract and human rights bases for promoting access to effective, novel, high-priced medicines

This technical report explores how social contract theories, the global public (health) goods discourse and international human rights can be employed to sketch the broad contours of the responsibilities and rights of key stakeholders – particularly governments and pharmaceutical companies. These three approaches ascertain that stakeholders have specific responsibilities to assist in increasing access to high-priced medicines, yet they remain vague about the precise nature of actions stakeholders should perform to promote access to medicines.

This report builds particularly on international human rights, and identifies specific obligations that, if properly implemented, should contribute to better access to medicines.