[Ip-health] MSF Urges Novartis to Drop its Case Against the Indian Government

Wed Dec 20 09:45:16 2006

MSF Urges Novartis to Drop its Case Against the Indian Government=0D
=0D
=0D
  Case will negatively impact access to medicines for millions across the=
=0D
                                   world=0D
=0D
New Delhi/Geneva, 20 December 2006 =E2=80=93 A legal challenge by Swiss=0D
pharmaceutical company Novartis against India=E2=80=99s patent law could re=
strict=0D
access to affordable medicines in the developing world, the international=
=0D
medical humanitarian organization M=C3=A9decins Sans Fronti=C3=A8res (MSF) =
said=0D
today.  The organization is urging Novartis to immediately drop the case.=
=0D
=0D
India has long been an important source of affordable essential medicines=
=0D
because the country did not grant pharmaceutical patents until 2005.=0D
Generic antiretroviral medicines produced in India are used to treat over=
=0D
80% of the 80,000 people that receive treatment today in MSF=E2=80=99s AIDS=
=0D
projects in more than 30 countries.=0D
=0D
=E2=80=9CWe rely on less-expensive, good-quality medicines produced in Indi=
a to=0D
treat as many people with AIDS as possible,=E2=80=9D said Dr. Christophe Fo=
urnier,=0D
MSF International Council President.  =E2=80=9CThis key source of medicines=
 can not=0D
be allowed to dry up.=E2=80=9D=0D
=0D
Novartis was one of the 39 companies that took the South African government=
=0D
to court over five years ago in an effort to prevent the government from=0D
importing cheaper AIDS medicines.=0D
=0D
=E2=80=9CIt feels like we=E2=80=99re back in South Africa in 2001,=E2=80=9D=
 said Dr. Tido von=0D
Schoen-Angerer, of MSF=E2=80=99s Campaign for Access to Essential Medicines=
.  =E2=80=9CJust=0D
like five years ago, Novartis with its legal actions is trying to stand in=
=0D
the way of people=E2=80=99s right to access the medicines they need.=E2=80=
=9D=0D
=0D
India=E2=80=99s law contains provisions that help put people before patents=
, but=0D
Novartis is taking the Indian government to court to force a change in the=
=0D
law. The company is challenging a key public health safeguard enshrined=0D
within India=E2=80=99s Patents Act that aims to restrict the granting of tr=
ivial=0D
patents.  If Novartis gets its way, it could mean that essential drugs are=
=0D
more likely to be patented in India, thereby restricting generic production=
=0D
and keeping prices for newer medicines high.=0D
=0D
A constant flow of affordable newer medicines is particularly important for=
=0D
the treatment of AIDS, as people inevitably become resistant to their=0D
medicines and need newer drug combinations.  But currently, patent=0D
applications on crucial newer generation AIDS medicines await patenting=0D
decisions in India.=0D
=0D
=E2=80=9CFor people like me, who live with HIV/AIDS, a win by Novartis will=
 mean a=0D
step back in time to the days when we could not afford our medicines,=E2=80=
=9D said=0D
Loon Gangte of the Delhi Network of Positive People, speaking at a press=0D
briefing in New Delhi. =E2=80=9CGeneric competition is what has made first-=
line=0D
AIDS drugs affordable for people and for governments.  Novartis needs to=0D
stop standing in the way of our right to access the medicines we need to=0D
stay alive.=E2=80=9D=0D
=0D
MSF is launching an international petition today to put pressure on the=0D
company.=0D
=0D
=E2=80=9CWe are here today to ask Novartis=E2=80=99s CEO Daniel Vasella to =
immediately stop=0D
the legal action in India,=E2=80=9D said Christian Captier, General Directo=
r of MSF=0D
in Switzerland.  =E2=80=9CWe are urging Novartis to drop the case and we=E2=
=80=99re asking=0D
everyone, everywhere to sign on and support the petition.=E2=80=9D=0D
=0D
###=0D
for further background information, visit  www.accesmed-msf.org=0D
=0D
+++++++++++++++++++++++=0D
SIGN MSF'S 'DROP THE CASE' PETITION=0D
=0D
Millions of people around the world today rely on affordable medicines=0D
produced in India.  Pharmaceutical company Novartis is taking the Indian=0D
government to court to force a change in the country's patent law.  If=0D
Novartis wins, a major source of affordable medicines for millions of=0D
people across the globe could dry up.=0D
=0D
MSF is urging Novartis to DROP THE CASE.=0D
=0D
Find out more and sign up to our petition:=0D
http://www.msf.org/petition_india/international.html=0D
=0D
=0D
+++++++++++++++++++++=0D
Sheila Shettle=0D
Senior Communications Officer=0D
M=C3=A9decins Sans Fronti=C3=A8res=0D
Campaign for Access to Essential Medicines=0D
Rue de Lausanne 78=0D
1211 Geneva, Switzerland=0D
+ 41.22.849.8403=0D
+ 41.79.293.0270 (m.)=0D
www.accessmed-msf.org=0D
=0D