[Ip-health] MSF WELCOMES DECISION OF SOUTH AFRICAN COMPETITION COMMISSION TO PROMOTE ACCESS TO MEDICINES

[Rachel COHEN]

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MSF WELCOMES DECISION OF SOUTH AFRICAN COMPETITION COMMISSION=0D
                      TO PROMOTE ACCESS TO MEDICINES=0D
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Cape Town, 16 October 2003 =E2=80=93 The international medical humanitarian=
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organization Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) today=
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welcomed the South African Competition Commission=E2=80=99s unprecedented d=
ecision=0D
to find two multinational pharmaceutical companies culpable of charging=0D
excessive prices on antiretrovirals (ARVs) for the treatment of HIV and=0D
abusing their patents in such a way that restricts access to these=0D
life-extending medicines. MSF also congratulated the Treatment Action=0D
Campaign (TAC) and the other complainants who filed the case against=0D
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Boehringer Ingelheim (BI) one year ago to reverse=
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the tide of =E2=80=9Cpremature, predictable, and avoidable deaths of people=
 living=0D
with HIV/AIDS=E2=80=9D caused by the high prices of ARVs in South Africa. M=
ore than=0D
600 people die of HIV/AIDS each day in South Africa.=0D
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With this decision, the Competition Commission, the South African body=0D
empowered to arbitrate complaints about restrictive and abusive business=0D
practices, has cleared away patent barriers to access to medicines.  This=
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will lead to the availability of generic medicines through compulsory=0D
licensing.  Generic competition has been the most reliable force in driving=
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down the prices of needed medicines. The decision is the clearest example=
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yet of effective implementation of the World Trade Organization=E2=80=99s D=
oha=0D
Declaration on TRIPS and Public Health.=0D
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=E2=80=9CThis decision sends a clear message that price will not stand in t=
he way=0D
of access to antiretroviral treatment in South Africa,=E2=80=9D said Dr. Er=
ic=0D
Goemaere, Head of Mission for MSF=E2=80=99s AIDS programs in South Africa. =
 =E2=80=9CIf the=0D
South African government is serious about providing ARV treatment to the=0D
half a million South Africans with HIV/AIDS who clinically need it, they=0D
must immediately take advantage of this decision.  Even after recent=0D
announcements of price reductions from brand-name companies, generic=0D
medicines are the most affordable option today.=E2=80=9D=0D
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An important feature of the decision is that the Commission=E2=80=99s appro=
ach=0D
would not require the collaboration or consent of patent holders=E2=80=94in=
 this=0D
case GSK for AZT, 3TC, and AZT+3TC and BI for nevirapine=E2=80=94to enable =
generic=0D
competition.  Furthermore, the decision will enable the use of fixed-dose=
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combinations of ARVs, which are vital for scaling up access to treatment=0D
because they are easy to take and will facilitate adherence.=0D
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The Commission=E2=80=99s decision provides a model for other developing cou=
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to protect public health and promote access to medicines above all else.=0D
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For further information, contact Marta Darder in Cape Town at +27 82 332=0D
9714 or Kris Torgeson in New York  at +1 212 655 3764 or +1 917 913 1083.=
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_______________________________=0D
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Rachel M. Cohen=0D
U.S. Director, Campaign for Access to Essential Medicines=0D
Doctors Without Borders/M=C3=A9decins Sans Fronti=C3=A8res (MSF)=0D
333 Seventh Avenue, 2nd Floor * New York, NY * 10001-5004 * USA=0D
Tel: +1-212-655-3762=0D
Mobile: +1-917-331-9077=0D
Fax: +1-212-679-7016=0D
E-mail: rachel.cohen@newyork.msf.org=0D
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http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/=0D
http://www.accessmed-msf.org/