PHA-Exchange> People’s Convention & Protest March Against the Patent Bill, New Delhi

[AMTC India]

Affordable Medicine and Treatment Campaign

Phone: 24321101/2, Email: aidslaw1 at lawyerscollective.org

Contact person: Leena Menghaney, 9811365412

 

National Working Group on Patents Laws

Phone: 26813311, Email: wgkeayla at del6.vsnl.net.in

 

Research Foundation for Science, Technology & Ecology 

Phone: 26968077,26561868 Email: vshiva at vsnl.com

 

People’s Convention & Protest March Against the Patent Bill, New Delhi   

  

The Government of India has initiated the process to amend the Patents Act. A Third Patent Amendment Bill is expected to be tabled in the Parliament during the forthcoming winter session. The Bill in its present form seriously compromises the accessibility and availability of medicines, two important components of the right to health. As a signatory to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and the ‘Doha Declaration’ (November 2001) on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health, the Government of India is obliged to implement the TRIPS Agreement in a manner, which is supportive to access to medicines for all. 

 

The Patent (Amendment) Bill undermines farmers’ rights to affordable seeds and citizens’ rights to affordable food and drugs, since plants, genetic material and drugs are now patentable subject matters. 

 

Public Interest Groups working on health, food security and farmers’ rights are gravely concerned that India through the Patent (Amendment) Bill will trade away its right to safeguard public health and make independent policies and decisions regarding its food security.  As the first step to hold the government accountable and to support a transparent process for the consideration of amendments to the Patents Act, public interest groups in Delhi are organising a People’s Convention on the Patent (Amendment) Bill, 2004. 

 

Date                   : 7th December 2004

Time                  : 10.00 a.m. – 12.00 p.m. 
Venue                : Speakers Hall, Constitution Club(followed by protest march to Parliament St)
Speakers            : 1. B. K. Keayla, National Working Group on Patent Laws

                              2. Vandana Shiva, Research Foundation for Science, Technology & Ecolog y 

                              3. Anand Grover, Affordable Medicines & Treatment Campaign 
                              4. K.K Abraham, Indian Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS                              5. Dr. Amit Sen Gupta, People's Health Movement
 

 

Partners in the Campaign: All India Drug Action Network, CISRS-JWP-ATN, Delhi Network of Positive People, Indian Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS, Jan Swasthya Abhiyan, Lawyers Collective HIV/AIDS Unit, Sharan, Swaasthya, Voluntary Health Association of India



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