Ellen 't Hoen
@ellenthoen.bsky.social
X-Twitter refugee looking for a safer place. I spend most of my time working on access to medicines and intellectual property at www.medicineslawandpolicy.org. If not, I cook.
Just out: our overview of over two decades of the use of TRIPS flexibilities to access medicines in BMJ Global Health gh.bmj.com/content/11/1...
TRIPS flexibilities help change policy and practice to increase access to medicines: evidence from 2001 to 2024
Introduction Millions of people lack access to safe and effective pharmaceuticals because they are unaffordable or unavailable, particularly in ‘developing’ and ‘least-developed’ countries (DCs, LDCs)...
gh.bmj.com
January 28, 2026 at 1:30 PM
Just out: our overview of over two decades of the use of TRIPS flexibilities to access medicines in BMJ Global Health gh.bmj.com/content/11/1...
Met dank aan @wemos.org om mij hierbij te betrekken. Transparantie is de basis van een democratische samenleving en het vertrouwen in de instituties en bedrijven die er actief zijn. Dat geldt ook voor de farmaceutische industrie.
💊💰🔎 De farma-industrie is uitzonderlijk en vraagt daarom om uitzonderlijke regulering. Transparantie is nodig voor eerlijke medicijnprijzen.
Aldus @ellaweggen.bsky.social van Wemos, @ellenthoen.bsky.social en @katperehudoff.bsky.social in @volkskrant.nl.
Lees: www.volkskrant.nl/columns-opin...
Aldus @ellaweggen.bsky.social van Wemos, @ellenthoen.bsky.social en @katperehudoff.bsky.social in @volkskrant.nl.
Lees: www.volkskrant.nl/columns-opin...
Opinie: De macht en winst van de farma-industrie zijn uitzonderlijk, beleid mag dat dus ook zijn
Zorg en medicijnen zijn geen handtasjes of broodroosters, maar een fundamentele levensbehoefte. Farmaceuten zouden daarom, net als artsen en ziekenhuizen, een zorgplicht moeten hebben. Of, om te begin...
www.volkskrant.nl
January 28, 2026 at 10:07 AM
Met dank aan @wemos.org om mij hierbij te betrekken. Transparantie is de basis van een democratische samenleving en het vertrouwen in de instituties en bedrijven die er actief zijn. Dat geldt ook voor de farmaceutische industrie.
Meanwhile: US has now left the @who.int “The U.S. flag had been removed from outside the WHO headquarters in Geneva on Thursday, according to witnesses.” www.reuters.com/business/hea...
US withdraws from the World Health Organization
The United States officially left the World Health Organization on Thursday after a year of warnings that doing so would hurt public health in the U.S. and globally, saying its decision reflected fail...
www.reuters.com
January 23, 2026 at 8:00 AM
Meanwhile: US has now left the @who.int “The U.S. flag had been removed from outside the WHO headquarters in Geneva on Thursday, according to witnesses.” www.reuters.com/business/hea...
Reposted by Ellen 't Hoen
New Oxfam Inequality report just dropped:
Billionaire wealth has grown by 80% since 2020.
The world’s 12 richest billionaires have more wealth than the poorest half of humanity.
Elon Musk is the first ever person to have over half a trillion dollars wealth.
Billionaire wealth has grown by 80% since 2020.
The world’s 12 richest billionaires have more wealth than the poorest half of humanity.
Elon Musk is the first ever person to have over half a trillion dollars wealth.
January 19, 2026 at 6:01 AM
New Oxfam Inequality report just dropped:
Billionaire wealth has grown by 80% since 2020.
The world’s 12 richest billionaires have more wealth than the poorest half of humanity.
Elon Musk is the first ever person to have over half a trillion dollars wealth.
Billionaire wealth has grown by 80% since 2020.
The world’s 12 richest billionaires have more wealth than the poorest half of humanity.
Elon Musk is the first ever person to have over half a trillion dollars wealth.
US pharma threaten to withhold products from Europe over prices
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
US drugmakers threaten to withhold products from Europe over prices
Pharmaceutical companies seek to make up any lost revenue after striking deals with Donald Trump to lower costs in US
giftarticle.ft.com
January 19, 2026 at 7:10 AM
US pharma threaten to withhold products from Europe over prices
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
Nice tribute to David Mitchell, a US drug pricing advocate who recently passed away. @statnews.com www.statnews.com/2026/01/05/d...
With political savvy and outrage over drug prices, advocate David Mitchell was ahead of his time
David Mitchell, who helped launch Patients for Affordable Drugs to raise awareness of high drug prices and seek to bring them down, died at age 75.
www.statnews.com
January 6, 2026 at 8:15 AM
Nice tribute to David Mitchell, a US drug pricing advocate who recently passed away. @statnews.com www.statnews.com/2026/01/05/d...
Reposted by Ellen 't Hoen
Apparently non-State actors in official relations and relevant stakeholders are not welcome (physically) at the resumed session of #IGWG4 in January 2026: "Please also note that Relevant Stakeholders are invited to participate in the meeting virtually."
December 24, 2025 at 5:23 AM
Apparently non-State actors in official relations and relevant stakeholders are not welcome (physically) at the resumed session of #IGWG4 in January 2026: "Please also note that Relevant Stakeholders are invited to participate in the meeting virtually."
Here is my end of the year blog with a highly biased listing of noteworthy medicines law and policy events of 2025: medicineslawandpolicy.org/2025/12/wrap...
Wrapping up 2025: A tumultuous year for global public health law & policy | Medicines Law & Policy
medicineslawandpolicy.org
December 16, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Here is my end of the year blog with a highly biased listing of noteworthy medicines law and policy events of 2025: medicineslawandpolicy.org/2025/12/wrap...
I am looking forward to being part of the launch event of the Centre on Knowledge Governance tonight at the @gvagrad.bsky.social docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Draft Program - Centre Launch 3 Dec
Centre on Knowledge Governance Launch Event and Reception Wednesday 3 December 2025, 6.00pm - 9.30pm, including reception Auditorium A-2, Petal 2, Graduate Institute, Chem. Eugène-Rigot 2, 1202 Genèv...
docs.google.com
December 3, 2025 at 1:19 PM
I am looking forward to being part of the launch event of the Centre on Knowledge Governance tonight at the @gvagrad.bsky.social docs.google.com/document/d/1...
Reposted by Ellen 't Hoen
Reposted by Ellen 't Hoen
“Transitioning to self-reliance sounds good but what is happening today is not a transition. It is a shock to the system of which the most vulnerable will carry the brunt”, says @ellenthoen.bsky.social in a new @thelancet.com here:
Global health aid cuts: WHO urges urgent action to protect vulnerable populations
With drastic reductions in health aid threatening essential services and millions
of lives, WHO issues new guidance for countries to safeguard health budgets, limit
out-of-pocket payments, and mobilis...
www.thelancet.com
November 26, 2025 at 9:43 AM
“Transitioning to self-reliance sounds good but what is happening today is not a transition. It is a shock to the system of which the most vulnerable will carry the brunt”, says @ellenthoen.bsky.social in a new @thelancet.com here:
Reposted by Ellen 't Hoen
France is killing it - net price transparency now, ammendment tabled and adopted ! @healthlawadamh.bsky.social @mattherder.bsky.social
November 10, 2025 at 10:02 AM
France is killing it - net price transparency now, ammendment tabled and adopted ! @healthlawadamh.bsky.social @mattherder.bsky.social
Fully support this morning’s statement by @theindpanel.bsky.social at the #PABS talks at the WHO. It relates to the news broken by @healthpolicywatch.bsky.social that the US is seeking access to pathogen information in exchange for health funding. healthpolicy-watch.news/exclusive-us...
November 7, 2025 at 12:21 PM
Fully support this morning’s statement by @theindpanel.bsky.social at the #PABS talks at the WHO. It relates to the news broken by @healthpolicywatch.bsky.social that the US is seeking access to pathogen information in exchange for health funding. healthpolicy-watch.news/exclusive-us...
on.ft.com/493t0RL War is pushing us to a drug resistance tipping point by @gardp.bsky.social
War is pushing us to a drug resistance tipping point
Failure to prevent the rise and spread of infections in conflict zones imperils health security everywhere
on.ft.com
November 7, 2025 at 12:16 PM
on.ft.com/493t0RL War is pushing us to a drug resistance tipping point by @gardp.bsky.social
Last chance to register for the Amsterdam Medicines Justice Conference. registration closes tomorrow: www.aanmelder.nl/medicinesjus...
Medicines justice - Registration
www.aanmelder.nl
October 13, 2025 at 8:32 AM
Last chance to register for the Amsterdam Medicines Justice Conference. registration closes tomorrow: www.aanmelder.nl/medicinesjus...
Meanwhile on the dark side:
September 18, 2025 at 8:52 PM
Meanwhile on the dark side:
The @wto.org just published its 2025 World Trade Report on trade and AI to the benefit for all: www.wto.org/english/res_...
www.wto.org
September 17, 2025 at 9:49 AM
The @wto.org just published its 2025 World Trade Report on trade and AI to the benefit for all: www.wto.org/english/res_...
Because “contraception is not life-saving” www.nytimes.com/2025/09/11/h...
$10 Million in Contraceptives Have Been Destroyed on Orders From Trump Officials
www.nytimes.com
September 12, 2025 at 6:21 AM
Because “contraception is not life-saving” www.nytimes.com/2025/09/11/h...
Next week, at the @who.int the second meeting of the Intergovernmental Working Group (IGWG) tasked with negotiating the PABS Instrument will take place. We just published this brief on the subject:
medicineslawandpolicy.org/2025/09/who-...
medicineslawandpolicy.org/2025/09/who-...
WHO Members meet to finalise the Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing Instrument | Medicines Law & Policy
medicineslawandpolicy.org
September 10, 2025 at 8:48 AM
Next week, at the @who.int the second meeting of the Intergovernmental Working Group (IGWG) tasked with negotiating the PABS Instrument will take place. We just published this brief on the subject:
medicineslawandpolicy.org/2025/09/who-...
medicineslawandpolicy.org/2025/09/who-...
The WHO Foundation should clean up its act. And so should member states by supporting the @who.int with core financing.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/s...
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/s...
Alarm as WHO accepts increasing amount of dark money from corporate donors
Experts say millions in corporate funding and concealment of donors’ identities raises key conflict-of-interest concerns
www.theguardian.com
September 9, 2025 at 5:27 PM
The WHO Foundation should clean up its act. And so should member states by supporting the @who.int with core financing.
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/s...
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/s...
GLP-1 drugs have been on the Medicines Patent Pool priority list for a while. Time for the companies to come forward now @who.int labeled them essential @thirugeneva.bsky.social @medicinespatentpool.org
On Sept 5th, @who.int listed GLP-1 drugs on its Essential Medicines List. This listing covers about 75% of the 2.1 m lives saved per year in the lower estimate of the model David Brook and I developed. See the details on the screenshot below from our preprint: www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1...
1/n
1/n
September 6, 2025 at 5:55 AM
GLP-1 drugs have been on the Medicines Patent Pool priority list for a while. Time for the companies to come forward now @who.int labeled them essential @thirugeneva.bsky.social @medicinespatentpool.org
Here is our blog on the new WHO Essential Medicines List : medicineslawandpolicy.org/2025/09/trea...
Treatment for cystic fibrosis added to Essential Medicines List by the World Health Organization: A victory for campaigners, though prices still ‘toxic’ | Medicines Law & Policy
medicineslawandpolicy.org
September 5, 2025 at 4:36 PM
Here is our blog on the new WHO Essential Medicines List : medicineslawandpolicy.org/2025/09/trea...
Here you can find the new Model lists of Essential Medicines.
September 5, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Here you can find the new Model lists of Essential Medicines.
The WHO just published its new Model List of Essential Medicines list. Pleased to see cystic fibrosis meds included. Thanks to the great work of the Right to Breathe campaign. However, Vertex's high prices will continue to be a barrier. www.righttobreathe.net/post/a-huge-...
A huge turning point: CF medicine’s Trikafta/Kaftrio added to WHO Essential Medicines List
Today marks a historic breakthrough in the fight for global access to lifesaving cystic fibrosis (CF) treatment.The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially added elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacafto...
www.righttobreathe.net
September 5, 2025 at 1:52 PM
The WHO just published its new Model List of Essential Medicines list. Pleased to see cystic fibrosis meds included. Thanks to the great work of the Right to Breathe campaign. However, Vertex's high prices will continue to be a barrier. www.righttobreathe.net/post/a-huge-...