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The World Trade Organisation (WTO) deal in Switzerland to ensure better access to cheap medicines for poor countries collapsed late Friday, with developing country diplomats blaming the United States for holding out on a third draft of an agreement to grant developing countries access to cheaper drugs, the Associated Press (AP) reported.
"The US has announced it cannot join the consensus," said WTO Brazilian negotiator Antonio de Aguiar Patriota.
Patriota told reporters earlier that of the 144 WTO members, the draft text had the support of 143 members.
Although the US generally supported the proposal, it wanted to limit the scope to epidemics of infectious diseases and not let developing countries use it to gain cheap access to drugs for conditions like asthma, diabetes or smoking-related illnesses.
"We remain committed to both the intention and the spirit and we will work with other delegations," AP quoted US ambassador Linnet Deily as saying.
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