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<DIV><B>From:</B> <A title=twnet@po.jaring.my
href="mailto:twnet@po.jaring.my">Third World Network</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">
<DIV><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN lang=EN-GB
style="COLOR: black"><A
href="http://www.twnside.org.sg">www.twnside.org.sg</A><o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></DIV></DIV>
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style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 14.4pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN lang=EN-GB
style="COLOR: black"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></B></P>
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style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 14.4pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN lang=EN-GB
style="COLOR: black"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 14.4pt"><B><SPAN
lang=EN-GB>Novartis targets India’s Patents Act<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 14.4pt"><B><SPAN
lang=EN-GB><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 14.4pt"><st1:country-region
w:st="on"><B><SPAN lang=EN-GB>India</SPAN></B></st1:country-region><B><SPAN
lang=EN-GB> could dry up as a source of newer and future affordable medicines if
Novartis succeeds in its challenge against <st1:country-region
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">India</st1:place></st1:country-region>’s Patent
act. Medecins sans Frontiers has launched an international petition to urge
Novartis to immediately drop the case </SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 14.4pt"><B><SPAN
lang=EN-GB>(for further information visit <A
href="http://www.accessmed-msf.org/">www.accessmed-msf.org</A>).<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 14.4pt"><B><SPAN
lang=EN-GB><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 14.4pt"><B><SPAN
lang=EN-GB>India is one of the most vital sources of generic drugs and Novartis’
attack on India’s patent law could have disastrous consequences on access to
affordable medicines for millions of people in the developing
world.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 14.4pt"><B><SPAN
lang=EN-GB><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 14.4pt"><st1:country-region
w:st="on"><B><SPAN lang=EN-GB>Thailand</SPAN></B></st1:country-region><B><SPAN
lang=EN-GB> and <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Philippines</st1:place></st1:country-region> push generic
drugs<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 14.4pt"><B><SPAN
lang=EN-GB><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 14.4pt"><B><SPAN
lang=EN-GB>Meanwhile <st1:country-region w:st="on">Thailand</st1:country-region>
and the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Philippines</st1:place></st1:country-region> are pushing ahead with
plans to provide cheaper generic drugs despite threats from Big Pharma.
</SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 14.4pt"><B><SPAN
lang=EN-GB>See </SPAN></B><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
lang=EN-GB style="COLOR: black">South-North Development Monitor (SUNS) # 6167,
</SPAN><SPAN lang=EN-GB style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">21 December 2006 and
</SPAN><SPAN lang=EN-GB style="COLOR: black"># 6165, </SPAN><SPAN lang=EN-GB
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">19 December 2006</SPAN><SPAN lang=EN-GB
style="COLOR: black">.</SPAN><SPAN lang=EN-GB
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 14.4pt"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN lang=EN-GB
style="COLOR: black"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></B></P>
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