"Human Rights Guidelines for Pharmaceutical Companies in relation to Access to Medicines", Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights

Pharmaceutical companies contribute in various ways to the realisation of the right to the highest attainable standard of health, such as providing individuals and communities with important information about public health issues. Enhancing access to medicines, however, has the central place in the societal mission of pharmaceutical companies. For this reason, these non-exhaustive, inter-related Guidelines focus on the human rights responsibilities of pharmaceutical companies in relation to access to medicines. Pharmaceutical companies’ human rights responsibilities are not confined to the right to the highest attainable standard of health. They have human rights responsibilities, for example, regarding freedom of association and conditions of work.