Malaysia does not want the introduction of new generic drugs to be obstructed and delayed by conflicting interpretations of national legislation and regulations on trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights (TRIPS) by various parties.

Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai said with the increasing number of patients with non-communicable diseases (NCDs), many countries faced a huge challenge in providing sufficient access to essential medicines to treat such cases.

"The positive economic impact of generic substitutions can be enormous

"For Malaysia, which provides free medical care to its citizens, generics are essential to meet the continuous delivery of healthcare to its population," Bernama quoted Liow as saying in his speech at the United Nations Summit on NCDs in New York today.

The text of his speech was made available to the media in Kuala Lumpur.

Liow noted that the United Nations Declaration on HIV/AIDS in June had endorsed important flexibilities guaranteed by the World Trade Organisation (WTO) TRIPS Agreement to ensure that trade would not violate patients' rights.

"While the promotion of international trade is important, especially within a rules-based trading system, the WTO should provide flexibilities, particularly to developing countries," he said.

Meanwhile, AFP reports from the United Nations in New York that UN leader Ban Ki-moon, when launching the summit accused some big corporations of putting public health at risk "to protect their own profits".

The summit on non-communicable diseases such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes is only the second time that the annual UN General Assembly of world leaders has taken up a health issue.

About 36 million people die each year from the diseases and the UN is predicting an explosion in the numbers, particularly in poor countries in Africa.

 A World Economic Forum report launched today said the world will spend US$47 trillion over the next two decades treating the diseases.

Ban told the summit that governments had to launch prevention campaigns, but he also targeted companies that have been strongly attacked by health groups.

"I depend on our friends in industry to do what is right," the UN secretary-general said.

Ban called himself "a champion of the private sector" but said "some hard truths" must be recognised.

"There is a well-documented and shameful history of certain players in industry who ignored the science - sometimes even their own research - and put public health at risk to protect their own profits.

"There are many, many more industry giants that acted responsibly. That is all the more reason we must hold everyone accountable - so that the disgraceful actions of a few do not sully the reputation of the many that are doing such important work to foster our progress."

Ban called upon corporations that profit from selling processed foods to children "to act with the utmost integrity."

"I refer not only to food manufacturers, but also the media, marketing and advertising companies that play central roles in these enterprises," he told the summit.