Ellen 't Hoen

Who is Ellen 't Hoen?

Ellen F. M. 't Hoen was until end 2008 the policy and advocacy director of the Médecins sans Frontières campaign for the access to essential medicines. She has trained as a lawyer and a social worker, but has spent the main part of her professional life as an activist for patients rights and more equitable pharmaceutical policies.

She won several awards for her work on the effects of exposure to the drug diethylstilbestrol in the 1980s and 1990s, including the prestigious Harriet Freezerring award in 1989.

She is currently also a research fellow at the University of Amsterdam doing research on the implementation of the Doha Declaration on TRIPS and Public Health.

After working, amongst others, for Health Action International she joined Médecins sans Frontières access campaign in 1999.

In 1981 she co-founded DES Action the Netherlands. In 1990 she joined Health Action International to head the policy and campaigns unit. From 1996 until 1999 she was the international coordinator of the independent medicines journal La Revue Prescrire/Prescrire International and the International Society of Drug Bulletins.