PHM-Exch> Webinar Invite- UK-India Free Trade Agreement: Weakening the public health safeguard in patent law

[Gargeya Telakapalli]

Third World Network and TWN Trust India invite you to the webinar

*UK-India Free Trade Agreement: Weakening the public health safeguard in
patent law*

*Date:* 20 March 2023 (Monday)



*Time: *6 to 7 pm



*Registration: *Register in advance for this webinar:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMucuiqqjwtEtCoELiJgt2ppEqq5a8d7S6p

(After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing
information about joining the webinar.)



The eighth round of UK-India Free Trade Agreement negotiations is scheduled
to be held from 20-24 March. The leaked texts of this FTA reveal that the
provisions relating to intellectual property directly undermine the public
health safeguards incorporated in the Indian patent law.



The proposals in the Intellectual property chapter contain TRIPS-plus
provisions that will create barriers to accessing affordable medicines and
medical products, thereby increasing healthcare costs. Some of these
provisions include limiting the right to challenge patents before being
granted, enabling evergreening of patents (allowing multiple patents on the
same drug), data exclusivity, and extension of the patent term beyond 20
years.



In a recent letter, the global and national civil society organisations
have written to both UK and Indian governments to remove the IP from the
negotiations and increase transparency on the current status of the IP
text. The letter also called for the resignation of the UK’s chief
negotiator and the appointment of a new Chief Negotiator independent from
pharmaceutical companies so that global health concerns, including access
to affordable treatments, are not undermined but treated as priorities.



Against this background, TWN Trust India is organising this webinar to
apprise health professionals, academics, activists, and civil society
organisations on the UK-India FTA and its adverse impact on access to
medicines and medical products.



*Moderator*

   - Prathibha Sivasubramanian, Researcher, Third World Network

*Speakers*


   - Ranja Sengupta, Senior Researcher and Coordinator of the Trade
   Programme, Third World Network
   - Roshan John, Trade and IP Analyst, Médecins Sans Frontières -Access
   Campaign



Organised by Third World Network and TWN Trust India
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