A/63/263 Report of the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health Summary The present report, submitted in accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 6/29, contains two main sections: as accountability is one of the central features of human rights, section I discusses the importance of effective, transparent, accessible and independent accountability mechanisms in relation to the right to the highest attainable standard of health. Section II and the annex to the present report, containing the Human Rights Guidelines for Pharmaceutical Companies in relation to Access to Medicines, which set out the human rights responsibilities of pharmaceutical companies in that context. Each theme is accompanied by a Commentary. The product of wide-ranging discussions spanning five years, the Guidelines consider issues such as transparency, management, accountability, patents, licensing and pricing. Since this is the last thematic report of Mr. Hunt, it concludes with some brief observations arising from his tenure between 2002 and 2008. Contents Page I. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 II. Activities of the mandate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 III. Accountability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 IV. The human rights responsibilities of pharmaceutical companies in relation to access to medicines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Human Rights Guidelines for Pharmaceutical Companies in relation to Access to Medicines . . . . . 15 V. Annex 2 08-45647