Career
She has trained as a lawyer (masters degree from Amsterdam University) 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 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 (ISDB).
She is an expert in medicines policy and intellectual property law and has been a consultant to a number of countries and international organisations. In 2005 and 2006 she was listed as one of the 50 most influential people in intellectual property in the world by the journal Managing Intellectual Property. Until May 1, 2012, Ellen 't Hoen was the first executive director of the Medicines Patent Pool, cofounded by UNITAID.
