TERMS OF REFERENCE (REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS) FOR EXPERT CONSULTANTS TO ASSIST IN CHALLENGING PATENT BARRIERS IN BELARUS At International Treatment Preparedness Coalition

Background

The International Treatment Preparedness Coalition (ITPC) is a global coalition of PLHIV and community activists working to achieve universal access to optimal HIV, HCV and TB treatment of those in need. Formed in 2003 by a group of 125 HIV activists from 65 countries at a meeting in Cape Town, ITPC actively advocates for treatment access in eight regions across the globe. ITPC believes that the fight for treatment remains one of the most significant global social justice issues.

The project Use of TRIPS Flexibilities to Increase Affordability of Treatment for HIV, Tuberculosis and Hepatitis C Virus in Middle-income Countries aims to address a critical gap in the global response to the three diseases by enabling affordability and access to newer and optimized drugs in 17 countries (Argentina, Armenia, Belarus, Brazil, El Salvador, Georgia, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Morocco, Russia, Thailand, Ukraine, Vietnam). Eastern Europe and Central Asia, one of our priority regions, is one of the only regions where the HIV epidemic continues to grow and only 36% of PLWH are accessing ART (UNAIDS, 2018). UNAIDS recognizes that “the high prices of antiretroviral medicines in the middle-income countries in the region are an additional barrier to treatment scale-up. Similar situation in terms of prices is for new MDR-TB medicines: bedaquiline and delamanid. The case of access to bedaquline in Belarus is an illustration of this issue. Bedaquiline is protected by at least 5 patents in Belarus.

Under ITPC’s global coordination of the project, technical assistance shall continue to be provided to the hubs, country partners and ITPC to support country partners work on implementation of TRIPS flexibilities, including by challenging patents. ITPC intends to hire a local technical consultant to support CSO-led patent opposition processes in Belarus.

Consultant Scope of Work and Deliverables

ITPC is seeking consultant to:

Technical and advocacy support of ongoing bedaquiline fumarate patent invalidation process in Belarus;

Technical and advocacy support of any needed new patent challenges in Belarus upon request or prior approval of ITPC Global;

Liaison functions between the MoH, patent office, the national pharmacy and TB treatment program managers, local legal teams, ITPCru and ITPC Global.

Duration of Consultancy

● 21^th February 2022 to August 31^st 2022

Deliverable

● As set out by requesting country and/or ITPC IP and Access to Medicines Lead, including analytical reports, assessments, legal advice, memorandums, certifications of appeal filings, updates on progress, etc.

Education & Experience Requirements

● Experience on IP issues as they relate to access to medicines and public health

● Experience in coordination with civil society groups

● At least 7 years of experience in treatment access advocacy on HIV in Belarus

● Experience in working with national institutions in Belarus

● Academic training in HIV/AIDS, public health, human rights, international development, or related field is a plus

● Experience in supporting patent oppositions process in Belarus is a plus

Compensation

The funding shall not exceed 43 days.