The World Health Organization's 193 member states are hoping to forge a global strategy on the highly divisive issues of drug development, patenting and pricing by the end of the week.

"People should not be denied access to lifesaving and health-promoting interventions for unfair reasons," said Dr. Margaret Chan, WHO's director-general, in opening the agency's first meeting devoted to the subject since May, when the United States walked out of a negotiating session and dissociated itself from a WHO resolution.

Chan said she was aware that the "price of medicines and other products can be prohibitive, effectively blocking access to care." But, she added, public health needs innovation.

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