ABPI's director general, Richard Barker, believes Oxfam should stop criticizing the industry and look to work with it instead. "We acknowledge our responsibility to cooperate with governments, philanthropists, world bodies, and major nongovernmental organizations, such as Oxfam, to try to improve the health of those living in developing nations," he said. "Access to the right treatment is vital for many of the world's poor, but this should be combined with addressing the causes of poverty."

Sarah Houlton is Pharmaceutical Executive's global correspondent. She can be reached at sarah@owlmedia.co.uk