Implications of international law for the treatment of cancer: The Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs and the TRIPS Agreement

SummaryThe development, manufacture, trade and distribution of medicines all take place within a web of international legal obligations that states have accepted under a range of multilateral, plurilateral and bilateral agreements. International law can operate either to facilitate or hinder access, depending on how it is developed and implemented. This article examines two areas of international law that are relevant to cancer treatment: the international drug control system, which regulates opioid analgesics; and the World Trade Organization’s Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Agreement. This article outlines recent developments in relation to both, including in the activities of the Vienna-based agencies that collectively oversee the implementation of the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, and in the negotiation of the recent United Nations General Assembly Political Declaration on Non-communicable Diseases. While underlining the importance of law, this article notes that battles over law should not distract from the importance of other essential efforts to enhance access to medicines within the context of the strengthening of health systems.