PHA-Exchange> The fight against Indian Patents Amendment continues

[Claudio]

From: "Prasanna Saligram" <prasanna at phmovement.org>

> Greetings from the People's Health Movement Secretariat (Global)!
>
> We hope that all of you know we have called for a Global Protest Day on
Feb 26, 2005 against the Indian Patents Amendment, which threatens the
> availability, accessibility and affordability of medicines including ARVs
in
> India as well as in other LDCs.

 For the latest on this campaign pls. visit www.gcaipa.org

 It would be great to know what exact actions any of you are planning so
that the same can be publicised in the website of ours to give people a
sense of the sort of actions that are being planned.
 Email: secretariat at phmovement.org
 Website: www.phmovement.org

> PRESS RELEASE
 Released: 8th February 2005 (excerpts)
>
> Global Campaign Against Indian Patent Amendment (www.gcaipa.org)
> 26 February, Global Day of Action against "TRIPS +", the Indian Patent
> Ordinance
>
>  "We call February 26, 2005, the Global Day of Action."
>
> "We call it the Anti-Patents day for drugs"
>
> "We call the day we refuse to be taken for granted by the Price-Setters,
> Institutions and Governments."
>
> "We call February 26, 2005, Our day to Say "We fight for our right to
> health." Our life should not be held at premium against our ability to
pay"
>
> "No to patented, expensive drugs, Yes to generic, affordable drugs. Yes to
> Life!"
>
> "We say "NO" to patent amendments in India. We say "YES" to our sense of
justice and humanity - roll back the patent amendments."
>
> February 26, 2005 has been named a day of international protest against
the actions of the Government of India. People around the world are calling
to question the humaneness of a patent modification that permits the private
> sector to profit from public health. The Indian Patent Ordinance
prescribes
> "TRIPS-PLUS" standards, which takes the country beyond the commitments
agreed to under the TRIPS agreement. Instead there is a roll back of the
most progressive P patents Act in developing countries. The Patent act has
fostered the pharmaceutical industry in India, provided affordable
medication to millions within India and the rest of the developing world. As
of December 26, 2005, by Presidential Ordinance, the patent Act has been
modified; we now face Product Patent protection for pharmaceuticals and
agrochemicals in India.
>
> The rest of the world is not silent and will speak out on February 26,
2005. Consider an extreme example, more than 5 million people in India are
living with HIV and 0.5 million of these need immediate anti-retroviral
(ARV) treatment. Only 0.44 million people living with HIV in all developing
countries currently have access to ARV treatment. This access has been
greatly facilitated by the Indian generic pharmaceutical companies bringing
down prices of medicines by drastically. Presently, Indian generic
manufacturers export generic medicines to over 200 countries.
>
> The Ordinance provides patent protection to agro-chemicals and fertilisers
> enabling the companies to charge monopoly prices. High costs of pesticides
will result in costlier foodgrains and will negatively hit consumers,
> especially the poor. The Ordinance also brings software under the purview
of patent protection furthering the digital divide.
>
> Public interest groups and trade unions are holding a mass protest on 26
> February 2005 against the Patent (Amendment) Ordinance.
>
> In Solidarity
> Global Coalition against the Indian Patent Amendment (GCAIPA)
> Contact Person :
> Affordable Medicines and Treatment Campaign (AMTC)
> Email: amtc_india at yahoo.co.in