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<P class=바탕글><SPAN lang=EN-US style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: HCI Poppy; mso-fareast-font-family: 휴먼명조; mso-hansi-font-family: HCI Poppy">Call-to-Action : Urge Roche to Supply Fuzeon for Patients</SPAN></P>
<P class=바탕글> <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=바탕글><SPAN lang=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: HCI Poppy; mso-fareast-font-family: 휴먼명조; mso-hansi-font-family: HCI Poppy">On July 3rd, Mr. Urs Flueckiger, President of Roche Korea said in the two-hour meeting with HIV activists and NGOs that the price for Fuzeon is "not negotiable". Fuzeon is an essential drug for HIV-positive people who have tried other anti-HIV drugs in the past and are unable to keep their viral loads undetectable using drugs that are currently available. </SPAN><SPAN lang=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: HCI Poppy; mso-fareast-font-family: 휴먼명조; mso-hansi-font-family: HCI Poppy">Korea Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs listed Fuzeon on the price of $18,000 a year in 2004. However the Swiss drug giant Roche claimed $ 22,000 and has withheld the supply of this life saving drug in South Korea. </SPAN></P>
<P class=바탕글> <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=바탕글><SPAN lang=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: HCI Poppy; mso-fareast-font-family: 휴먼명조; mso-hansi-font-family: HCI Poppy">A marketing director of Roche Korea said in the news interview that Roche has not supplied Fuzeon to developing countries including South Korea because they have no ability to pay for the drug. That is to say, Fuzeon will not be supplied for the countries who do not have enough money to pay for. In the meeting, Mr. Urs said '</SPAN><SPAN lang=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: HCI Poppy; mso-fareast-font-family: 휴먼명조; mso-hansi-font-family: HCI Poppy">we do not business for saving lives, but for making money. Saving lives is none of our business'. </SPAN></P>
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<P class=바탕글><SPAN lang=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: HCI Poppy; mso-fareast-font-family: 휴먼명조; mso-hansi-font-family: HCI Poppy">Roche argues that the demand for </SPAN><SPAN lang=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: HCI Poppy; mso-fareast-font-family: 휴먼명조; mso-hansi-font-family: HCI Poppy">$22,000 is never excessive one because South </SPAN><SPAN lang=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: HCI Poppy; mso-fareast-font-family: 휴먼명조; mso-hansi-font-family: HCI Poppy">Korea has the National Healthcare Insurance System and is classified into high-income country by World Bank. However, it should be noted that national healthcare system </SPAN><SPAN lang=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: HCI Poppy; mso-fareast-font-family: 휴먼명조; mso-hansi-font-family: HCI Poppy">is currently under threat from </SPAN><SPAN lang=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: HCI Poppy; mso-fareast-font-family: 휴먼명조; mso-hansi-font-family: HCI Poppy">multinational drug companies. Aggressive drug pricing policy by pharmaceutical companies is threatening not only developing countries but developed countries. </SPAN></P>
<P class=바탕글> <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=바탕글><SPAN lang=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: HCI Poppy; mso-fareast-font-family: 휴먼명조; mso-hansi-font-family: HCI Poppy">Most developed countries have national healthcare system, but now it is shrinking from the multinational drug companies and FTAs. For instance, Korea-U.S. FTA makes it very difficult to issue 'compulsory licensing' which enables people to control drugs and undermines people's access to medicine by introducing various measures to strengthen patent and intellectual property protections on medicine. In this way, the national healthcare system even in the developed countries is rapidly changing and the burden of expensive medicine price now affects the people. </SPAN></P>
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<P class=바탕글><SPAN lang=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: HCI Poppy; mso-fareast-font-family: 휴먼명조; mso-hansi-font-family: HCI Poppy">Big pharmaceutical companies often argue that the problem of 'access to medicine' can be solved by charity and mercy to developing countries. However, the exact point is not 'access to medicine for poor' but 'access to medicine for all'. In addition, it should be emphasized that people's struggle to access the 3rd line therapy is also very important. Because we believe that any patient has a right to access the most suitable and affordable medicine for oneself. </SPAN></P>
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<P class=바탕글><SPAN lang=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: HCI Poppy; mso-fareast-font-family: 휴먼명조; mso-hansi-font-family: HCI Poppy">We believe that our struggle is your struggle and can be extended to the campaign against the aggressive drug pricing policy of big pharmaceutical companies and drug monopoly across the world. </SPAN></P>
<P class=바탕글> <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=바탕글><SPAN lang=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: HCI Poppy; mso-fareast-font-family: 휴먼명조; mso-hansi-font-family: HCI Poppy">Therefore we are calling upon you to send signatures to urge Roche to desist from jeopardizing the lives of HIV patients. If you would like to sign on, please send your organization's name or your name and city/state where you live or work to <naengee@hotmail.com>. The deadline for sign-on is September 11, 2008. </SPAN></P>
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<P class=바탕글><SPAN lang=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: HCI Poppy; mso-fareast-font-family: 휴먼명조; mso-hansi-font-family: HCI Poppy">Thank you for your solidarity. </SPAN></P>
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<P class=바탕글><SPAN lang=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: HCI Poppy; mso-fareast-font-family: 휴먼명조; mso-hansi-font-family: HCI Poppy">Korea HIV/AIDS Network of Solidarity</SPAN></P>
<P class=바탕글><SPAN lang=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: HCI Poppy; mso-fareast-font-family: 휴먼명조; mso-hansi-font-family: HCI Poppy">Nanuri+, HIV/AIDS Human Rights Advocacy Group of Korea </SPAN></P>
<P class=바탕글><SPAN lang=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: HCI Poppy; mso-fareast-font-family: 휴먼명조; mso-hansi-font-family: HCI Poppy">Public Pharmaceutical Center </SPAN></P>
<P class=바탕글><SPAN lang=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: HCI Poppy; mso-fareast-font-family: 휴먼명조; mso-hansi-font-family: HCI Poppy">Solidarity for Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Human Rights of Korea</SPAN></P>
<P class=바탕글><SPAN lang=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: HCI Poppy; mso-fareast-font-family: 휴먼명조; mso-hansi-font-family: HCI Poppy">Korean Gay Men's Human Rights Group </SPAN></P>
<P class=바탕글><SPAN lang=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: HCI Poppy; mso-fareast-font-family: 휴먼명조; mso-hansi-font-family: HCI Poppy">Sarangbang, Group for Human Rights </SPAN></P>
<P class=바탕글><SPAN lang=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: HCI Poppy; mso-fareast-font-family: 휴먼명조; mso-hansi-font-family: HCI Poppy">Health Right Network</SPAN></P>
<P class=바탕글><SPAN lang=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: HCI Poppy; mso-fareast-font-family: 휴먼명조; mso-hansi-font-family: HCI Poppy">Korean Federation of Medical Groups for Health Rights </SPAN></P>
<P class=바탕글><SPAN lang=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: HCI Poppy; mso-fareast-font-family: 휴먼명조; mso-hansi-font-family: HCI Poppy">Association of Korea Doctors for Health Rights </SPAN></P>
<P class=바탕글><SPAN lang=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: HCI Poppy; mso-fareast-font-family: 휴먼명조; mso-hansi-font-family: HCI Poppy">Association of Physicians for Humanism </SPAN></P>
<P class=바탕글><SPAN lang=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: HCI Poppy; mso-fareast-font-family: 휴먼명조; mso-hansi-font-family: HCI Poppy">Korea Dentists Association for Health Society </SPAN></P>
<P class=바탕글><SPAN lang=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: HCI Poppy; mso-fareast-font-family: 휴먼명조; mso-hansi-font-family: HCI Poppy">Korea Health and Medical Workers Union </SPAN></P>
<P class=바탕글><SPAN lang=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: HCI Poppy; mso-fareast-font-family: 휴먼명조; mso-hansi-font-family: HCI Poppy">Korean Pharmacists for Democratic Society</SPAN></P>
<P class=바탕글><SPAN lang=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: HCI Poppy; mso-fareast-font-family: 휴먼명조; mso-hansi-font-family: HCI Poppy">People's Solidarity for Social Progress </SPAN></P>
<P class=바탕글><SPAN lang=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: HCI Poppy; mso-fareast-font-family: 휴먼명조; mso-hansi-font-family: HCI Poppy">Intellectual Property Left </SPAN></P>
<P class=바탕글><SPAN lang=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: HCI Poppy; mso-fareast-font-family: 휴먼명조; mso-hansi-font-family: HCI Poppy">Korean Progressive Network Jinbonet </SPAN></P>
<P class=바탕글><SPAN lang=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: HCI Poppy; mso-fareast-font-family: 휴먼명조; mso-hansi-font-family: HCI Poppy">Korea Leukemia Patient Group</SPAN></P>
<P class=바탕글><SPAN lang=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: HCI Poppy; mso-fareast-font-family: 휴먼명조; mso-hansi-font-family: HCI Poppy">New Progressive Party</SPAN></P>
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<P class=바탕글><SPAN lang=EN-US style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: HCI Poppy; mso-fareast-font-family: 휴먼명조; mso-hansi-font-family: HCI Poppy">Roche - Stop Killing and Give Us Fuzeon!</SPAN></P>
<P class=바탕글> <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=바탕글><SPAN lang=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: HCI Poppy; mso-fareast-font-family: 휴먼명조; mso-hansi-font-family: HCI Poppy">Fuzeon is an important part of combination treatment for people who have viruses that have become resistant to other available anti-HIV drugs. It was approved by the Korea Food & Drug Administration(KFDA) in May, 2004. However, the Swiss drug giant Roche has refused to supply the drug because of the failure of price negotiation with the government. </SPAN></P>
<P class=바탕글> <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=바탕글><SPAN lang=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: HCI Poppy; mso-fareast-font-family: 휴먼명조; mso-hansi-font-family: HCI Poppy">Roche has claimed $22,000 for the price of Fuzeon in South Korea. The yearly cost of $22,000 is double that of the most expensive HIV treatments existing in the market. And if considering that the drug must be taken in combination with other medicines, the total cost of treatment could reach between $30,000 and $40,000 per patient per year. </SPAN></P>
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<P class=바탕글><SPAN lang=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: HCI Poppy; mso-fareast-font-family: 휴먼명조; mso-hansi-font-family: HCI Poppy">Roche is denying the access of people living with HIV/AIDS to the Fuzeon by charging unreasonably high price and even refusing to sell the drug in some countries including South Korea. </SPAN></P>
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<P class=바탕글><SPAN lang=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: HCI Poppy; mso-fareast-font-family: 휴먼명조; mso-hansi-font-family: HCI Poppy">Access to treatment for infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and AIDS has been problems in most countries and the spread of drug-resistant HIV has accelerated rapidly over the last several years. It is very critical for HIV patients to get access to proper medicines. </SPAN></P>
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<P class=바탕글><SPAN lang=EN-US style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: HCI Poppy; mso-fareast-font-family: 휴먼명조; mso-hansi-font-family: HCI Poppy">Roche's strategies on pricing and supply for Fuzeon has been threatening the lives of HIV patients over the world as well as in South Korea. It is a crime against humanity. We urge Roche to stop abusing their power and supply Fuzeon at affordable price for every country where there are HIV/AIDS patients. </SPAN></P><BR><BR>Ara Kang<BR>Director of the Korean Pharmacists for Democratic Society<BR>3F, 26-1, Ewha-Dong, Chongro-Gu,<BR>Seoul, South Korea<BR>Website : <A href="http://www.pharmacist.or.kr/" target=_blank>http://www.pharmacist.or.kr</A><BR>E-mail : <A href="mailto:naengee@hotmail.com" target=_blank>naengee@hotmail.com</A><BR>Tel : 82-11-389-0614<BR>Fax : 82-2-766-6025<BR><br /><hr />내 맘대로 바꾸는 배경 화면 색, 더욱 다양해진 홈페이지 슬라이드 쇼 구성! <a href='http://www.msn.co.kr' target='_new'>확 달라진 MSN 홈페이지!</a></body>
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