[Ip-health] UK sides with pharmaceuticals

Tue, 03 Apr 2001 19:54:12 -0500

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Apologies - but could someone repost (or just send direct to me) the article
from the past week on how the UK gov has come out siding firmly with the
pharmaceuticals industry and saying "patents are the life blood of innovation".

I foolishly deleted it and urgently need it. Dont know where it was from.
Many thanks, Kate.

James Love wrote:

> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2001 17:27:59 -0500 (EST)
> From: Richard Jefferys <RJefferys@iavi.org>
> Reply-To: healthgap@CritPath.Org
> To: Multiple recipients of list <healthgap@CritPath.Org>
> Subject: European MPs back SA's Aids-drug fight
>
> http://www.iol.co.za/html/frame_news.php?click_id=125&art_id=ct2001031610101
> 5728A32362562
>
> European MPs back SA's Aids-drug fight
> Strasbourg - The European parliament has called for measures that would
> punch loopholes in national patent laws that keep expensive Aids and HIV
> drugs from people in South Africa and other developing countries.
>
> The parliament called for moves towards "a system allowing developing
> countries equitable access to medicines and vaccines at affordable prices".
>
> It expressed "solidarity and support" for the governments of South Africa
> and Kenya "in their struggle to use World Trade Organisation (WTO) compliant
> legislation to gain access to the cheapest possible life-saving medicines".
>
> It urged 39 pharmaceutical companies to withdraw their court challenge to a
> 1997 South African law that allows the government to license and manufacture
> affordable generic versions of expensive brand-name drugs.
>
> That law has never been implemented because of the challenge, in which the
> 39 drug companies claim it infringes their patent rights. The case has been
> adjourned in order for the plaintiffs to provide information requested by
> the judge.
>
> The EU resolution notes that a WTO agreement "permits a country to enact
> national laws permitting the use of a patented product without authorisation
> of the patent-holder under certain specified circumstances".
>
> South Africa had invoked that agreement in enacting the 1997 law under
> challenge. - Sapa-AFP
>
> _______________________________________________
> Ip-health mailing list
> Ip-health@lists.essential.org
> http://lists.essential.org/mailman/listinfo/ip-health

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Apologies - but could someone repost (or just send direct to me) the article
from the past week on how the UK gov has come out siding firmly with the
pharmaceuticals industry and saying "patents are the life blood of innovation".
I foolishly deleted it and urgently need it. Dont know where it was
from. 
Many thanks, Kate.
James Love wrote:
<blockquote TYPE=CITE>---------- Forwarded message ----------
 Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2001 17:27:59 -0500 (EST)
 From: Richard Jefferys &lt;RJefferys@iavi.org>
 Reply-To: healthgap@CritPath.Org
 To: Multiple recipients of list &lt;healthgap@CritPath.Org>
 Subject: European MPs back SA's Aids-drug fight
<a href="http://www.iol.co.za/html/frame_news.php?click_id=125&art_id=ct2001031610101">http://www.iol.co.za/html/frame_news.php?click_id=125&amp;art_id=ct2001031610101</a>
 5728A32362562
European MPs back SA's Aids-drug fight
 Strasbourg - The European parliament has called for measures that would
 punch loopholes in national patent laws that keep expensive Aids and
HIV
 drugs from people in South Africa and other developing countries.
The parliament called for moves towards "a system allowing developing
 countries equitable access to medicines and vaccines at affordable
prices".
It expressed "solidarity and support" for the governments of South Africa
 and Kenya "in their struggle to use World Trade Organisation (WTO)
compliant
 legislation to gain access to the cheapest possible life-saving medicines".
It urged 39 pharmaceutical companies to withdraw their court challenge
to a
 1997 South African law that allows the government to license and manufacture
 affordable generic versions of expensive brand-name drugs.
That law has never been implemented because of the challenge, in which
the
 39 drug companies claim it infringes their patent rights. The case
has been
 adjourned in order for the plaintiffs to provide information requested
by
 the judge.
The EU resolution notes that a WTO agreement "permits a country to enact
 national laws permitting the use of a patented product without authorisation
 of the patent-holder under certain specified circumstances".
South Africa had invoked that agreement in enacting the 1997 law under
 challenge. - Sapa-AFP
_______________________________________________
 Ip-health mailing list
 Ip-health@lists.essential.org
 <a href="http://lists.essential.org/mailman/listinfo/ip-health">http://lists.essential.org/mailman/listinfo/ip-health</a></blockquote>
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