Roundtable on Essential Medicines in African Countries

  • The roundtable was led by UMB faculty Diane Hoffmann, Director of the Law & Health Program (third from left), along with Peter Danchin, Director of the International & Comparative Law Program (at left), and Leslie Meltzer Henry, Professor at Maryland Carey Law (at right); here with guest Honorable Necton D. Mhura, Malawian Ambassador to the United States.

    The roundtable was led by UMB faculty Diane Hoffmann, Director of the Law & Health Program (third from left), along with Peter Danchin, Director of the International & Comparative Law Program (at left), and Leslie Meltzer Henry, Professor at Maryland Carey Law (at right); here with guest Honorable Necton D. Mhura, Malawian Ambassador to the United States.

  • UMB roundtable attendees from Malawi (back L-R): Virginia Rowthorn (UMB Carey Law), Victor Mwapasa, Osward Nyirenda, Danwood Chirwa, Chikosa Banda; (front L-R): Miriam Laufer (UMB School of Medicine), Ambassador Hecton Mhura, Joseph Mfutso-Bengo, Hilda Kaluwa Soko.

    UMB roundtable attendees from Malawi (back L-R): Virginia Rowthorn (UMB Carey Law), Victor Mwapasa, Osward Nyirenda, Danwood Chirwa, Chikosa Banda; (front L-R): Miriam Laufer (UMB School of Medicine), Ambassador Hecton Mhura, Joseph Mfutso-Bengo, Hilda Kaluwa Soko.

  • Roundtable discussion on clinical trials and essential medicines in Africa.

    Roundtable discussion on clinical trials and essential medicines in Africa.

Roundtable on Clinical Trials and Access to Essential Medicines in African Countries

Oct. 29-30, 2015

The symposium was led by Diane Hoffmann, director of the Law & Health Care Program, University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, along with Peter Danchin, director of the International and Comparative Law Program at Maryland Carey Law, and Leslie Meltzer Henry, a professor at Maryland Carey Law. The symposium was generously supported by the UMB Center for Global Education Initiatives, Alan and Nancy Eason, the Stuart Rome Lecture Fund, the Reuben Shiling Mental Health Law Fund, the Leonard C. Homer/Ober|Kaler Law and Health Care Fund, and the Dr. Richard H. Heller Fund.

Roundtable goal:

An international group of legal academics, bioethicists, lawyers, and medical researchers from North America and southern Africa were brought together in Baltimore to examine the ethical and legal challenges to developing and distributing essential medicines in African countries.

Project description:

The roundtable focused on four topics:

  • Access to essential medicines as a human right.
  • The law and ethics of clinical trials: What rules should govern clinical research in Africa?
  • What do clinical researchers and sponsors owe to host communities?
  • Legal regimes and obstacles: Free trade, intellectual property, and access to medicine.

Project outcomes:

Papers written by the roundtable panelists will be published in special symposium volumes of the Maryland Journal of International Law and UMB Law & Health Care Program's Journal of Health Care Law & Policy. 

Download the roundtable agenda and participant list.