NEWS RELEASE Monday, 31 January 2005

PRINCE OF WALES TO BECOME PATRON OF INTERNATIONAL HEALTH PARTNERS

It was announced today by International Health Partners that HRH Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, has agreed to become their Royal Patron. IHP, a new charity launched in November 2004, is dedicated to increasing the supply of donated medicines to the Developing World.

Anthony Dunnett CBE, President of IHP, welcoming The Prince of Wales on behalf of the IHP Board, said: "We are thrilled to have HRH The Prince of Wales as our Patron, with his record of bringing business and communities together."

Anthony Dunnett continued, "IHP provides the bridge between the pharmaceutical and medical supplies industries and Non-Governmental Organisations/charities providing primary health care in the Developing World. The International Health Partners model enables donated in-date medicines and supplies to be channelled to those in need, in co-ordination with locally agreed healthcare programmes."

"The United Kingdom is the largest exporter of pharmaceutical products and yet until now there has been no safe and easy way for companies and their employees to donate the products they make to those in the greatest need overseas."

Anthony Dunnett + 44 (0) 7801 978 290 or +44 (0) 1892 784 118
Jenina Bas +44 (0) 7971 551 778 or + 44 (0) 20 7549 1672 jbas@pendrywhite.com
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Note to Editors

INTERNATIONAL HEALTH PARTNERS

The UK is the largest exporter of pharmaceutical and medical supplies in the world. Until IHP was officially launched with cross-party and Government support in November 2004, there was no intermediary in the UK (or in Europe) enabling and handling donations of medical supplies for the UK industry. The potential for donated medical supplies from the UK is estimated at over £50m.

IHP accredits NGOs, and audits and provides feedback on donations to ensure that there is appropriate clinical distribution and no diversion of product into local markets. IHP also coordinates the response for donated medical supplies, ensuring, wherever possible, that they are directed to projects that strategically work with the healthcare programmes agreed by the local community.

IHP brings together the five stakeholder groups involved in healthcare, so that they can work to improve health conditions in the developing world. The five stakeholders are: the pharmaceutical and healthcare supplies industries (represented by the ABPI, ABHI, BAPW, BGMA, and the PAGB); the Medical Community (BMA, Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland, and the Royal Colleges); non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and five Departments of Government (HMT, DfID, DoH, DTI, ODPM/No 10).

For more detailed information visit the IHP website