Drug dumping

War on Want has teamed up with comedian Mark Thomas to launch a new report which exposes the potential damage that could be done by granting a tax exemption to drug companies which donate drugs to the Third World.

The report was published just before the last budget and was presented to the Chancellor of the Exchequer. It highlights how a similar exemption in the United States has led to all sorts of inappropriate and dangerous donations.

War on Want welcomes the possible tax exemption but says that payments to drug companies should be conditional on the donations meeting a code of conduct agreed by the World Health Organisation. The Chancellor unfortunately has not taken War on Want's advice and has introduced the measure referring only to a voluntary connection with the WHO code.