BUKO Pharma-Kampagne

Pharma-Kampagne is part of the German Federal Congress of Development Action Groups (BUKO). The aim of BUKO is to expose structural injustice between North and South and to press for changes towards a fair economic and political world order. BUKO has about 200 member groups. Since Germany is one of the world's largest exporters of drugs, BUKO became interested in the economical and health implications of the trade with pharmaceuticals and medicinal products. Thus in 1980 Pharma-Kampagne was founded.

Activities of Pharma Kampagne: Pharma-Kampagne is an independent non-profit NGO and dependant on donations. We monitor the marketing practices of the German pharmaceutical industry in Third World Countries. We try to stop unethical practices such as the sale of dangerous, useless and irrational drugs, the distribution of misleading information and unethical promotion. We also work on the rational use of drugs and problems of the health system in Germany.

Pharma-Kampagne is a public awareness raising campaign group. We organise action weeks and street theatre tours, do continuous press work, lobby politicians and pressure industry for a change in marketing behaviour in Developing Countries.

Our campaigns against the marketing practices of Boehringer Ingelheim, Hoechst, Schering, and E. Merck resulted in the withdrawal of a number of hazardous drugs. We successfully lobbied for a German export control law for pharmaceuticals. Pharma-Kampagne is a member of Health Action International (HAI), the Women's Global Network for Reproductive Rights (WGNRR) and the International Society of Drug Bulletins (ISDB).