2003-08-28 12:19 (New York)

(The following is a reformatted version of a press release issued electronically by Pfizer Inc. The release was not confirmed with the sender.)

Aug. 28 -- Pfizer Inc, the world's leading research-based pharmaceutical company, today expressed strong support for new world trade rules that would help get needed medicines to people in the poorest nations today, while preserving incentives for the discovery and development of new cures for tomorrow.

Pfizer expressed optimism that current negotiations in advance of the upcoming WTO Cancun Ministerial would achieve the critical goal of allowing least developed, developing and sub-Saharan African countries without manufacturing capacity to import medicines for humanitarian use in battling major public health threats. While HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis are clearly the most significant threats to public health in the world's poorest nations, Pfizer supports expanding The DOHA Ministerial Declaration on TRIPS and Public Health to cover public, non-commercial use of medicines for all public health emergencies.

Pfizer strongly supports The WTO Doha Development Round and believes that further trade liberalization in critical areas like agriculture and services provide the ultimate answer to the needs of developing and least developed countries by allowing them to play a more competitive role in the global economy and raising per capita income for their people.

(jmf)BR

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