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Universities Allied for Essential Medicines

About Universities Allied for Essential Medicines (UAEM) at Penn

Our mission

Universities Allied for Essential Medicines has a two-fold mission: (1) to determine how universities can help ensure that biomedical end products, such as drugs, are made more accessible in poor countries and (2) to increase the amount of research conducted on neglected diseases, or those diseases predominantly affecting people who are too poor to constitute a market attractive to private-sector R&D investment.

In both cases, universities are well-placed to make a difference. University scientists are major contributors in the drug development pipeline. At the same time, universities have an avowed commitment to advancing the public good. As members of these universities, our fundamental goal is to hold them to this commitment.

Our activities

UAEM is a nonprofit organization consisting of students and faculty at over 25 research universities across North America. Our activities take place at both the chapter level and the international level. At the chapter level, we petition for changes in the policies and practices at the universities we attend. At the international level, we convene groups of students — in consultation with faculty members and other experts — to determine how best to improve access to medicines in poor countries through research and policy analysis. Please visit the main website to learn more about our international efforts.

At the University of Pennsylvania, the Penn UAEM group was founded by medical students and now includes undergraduates, law students, business students, and nursing students. We are campaigning for Penn to adopt specific policy proposals to improve access to medicines in poor countries. We are also trying to raise awareness about the access crisis and neglected diseases on campus. Please visit the Progress to Date page to find out more.

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University of Pennsylvania | School of Medicine