[Ip-health] FW: Release of CAMR consultation paper/publication du document consultatif sur RCAM
Richard Elliott
relliott@aidslaw.ca
Sat Nov 25 14:58:36 2006
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The Government of Canada has, late this afternoon, initiated its review of
the country=92s legislation on compulsory licensing for export (implementin=
g
the WTO Decision of 30 August 2003). Below is the message released by
Industry Canada, as well as a link to their consultation paper seeking
public comment on the legislation.
Also below is the text of a news release issued this afternoon by the
Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network and M=E9decins Sans Fronti=E8res, also on b=
ehalf
of the larger coalition of Canadian civil society organizations who are
advocating for reforms to this legislation (among other things) (see
www.aidslaw.ca/gtag). While it proposes some reforms that would improve th=
e
existing legislation, it also highlights that the government needs to put i=
n
place a much more streamlined process that is not hampered by the
fundamental flaw of the cumbersome WTO August 30, 2003 decision that
requires individual compulsory licences for every single order of medicines
by a developing country.
Richard Elliott
Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network
********
Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network
M=E9decins Sans Fronti=E8res
Global Treatment Access Group
HEALTH AND INDUSTRY MINISTERS SHOULD ELIMINATE RED TAPE IN CANADA=92S LAW O=
N
GENERIC MEDICINES FOR EXPORT
Federal government review must be followed by immediate action
TORONTO, November 24, 2006 =97 Ottawa needs to remove unnecessary bureaucra=
tic
barriers that are preventing generic drug companies from producing and
exporting affordable medicines to developing countries, the Canadian
HIV/AIDS Legal Network and M=E9decins Sans Fronti=E8res (MSF) said today.
=93Thousands of patients in developing countries aren=92t getting medical
treatment because they can=92t afford brand-name medicines,=94 said Rachel
Kiddell-Monroe of M=E9decins Sans Fronti=E8res. =93We need to get rid of th=
e red
tape standing between affordable medicines and the patients who need them.=
=94
Earlier this afternoon, federal Industry and Health ministers Maxime Bernie=
r
and Tony Clement announced the government is starting its review of the Jea=
n
Chr=E9tien Pledge to Africa (also known as =93Canada=92s Access to Medicine=
s
Regime=94) =97 a review originally announced in August by Minister Clement.=
This
law, passed more than two and a half years ago, was intended to allow
generic drug companies in Canada to produce and export much-needed
lower-cost versions of brand-name drugs to developing countries. To date,
however, not a single pill has left Canada.
=93We=92ve studied the law and we know what needs to be done to give it the=
best
chance to work,=94 said Richard Elliott of the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal
Network. =93We look forward to meeting with ministers Bernier and Clement t=
o
expedite the government=92s review and to get to work on streamlining the
law.=94
Currently, the law requires a company wishing to manufacture and export a
generic version of a brand-name drug to apply for a separate licence for
every drug order it receives.
=93This drug-by-drug, case-by-case approach makes no sense. Such a convolut=
ed
and drawn-out system can never respond to the urgent needs of patients in
developing countries who are dying each day from preventable and treatable
diseases,=94 said Kiddell-Monroe. =93The law should only require one licenc=
e per
drug.=94
The Legal Network and MSF are also calling on the federal government to
change the law to:
*=09allow any pharmaceutical product to be eligible for compulsory
licensing =97 right now, only a limited list of products are eligible for
export and the list is just extra red tape;
*=09disclose the name of a developing country purchasing a generic drug
only after a compulsory licence is issued, with the royalty rate determined
by the formula contained in the law =97 right now, the law is unclear about
when the name can be disclosed, leaving the door open for governments or
corporations opposed to compulsory licensing to put political and economic
pressure on potential purchasing countries to discourage them from even
seeking a generic version of a brand-name drug;
*=09set a maximum number of days for generic and brand-name drug
companies to negotiate a voluntary licence =97 without a clear limit, such
negotiations can drag on, preventing a generic company from getting a
compulsory licence; and
*=09eliminate the =91expiry date=92 on a compulsory licence =97 with the
current two-year limit on the licence, if a developing country needs to
continue buying a generic drug after the licence has expired, it must start
the compulsory-licensing process from scratch.
=93The drugs needed by developing countries exist,=94 concluded Elliott, wh=
o
also speaks on behalf of GTAG, the Global Treatment Action Group, a
broad-based coalition of over 80 Canadian non-governmental organizations.
=93Let=92s get these drugs to the patients who need them by simplifying thi=
s law
and making it easier to use =97 and let=92s do it now.=94
About the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network
The Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network (www.aidslaw.ca <http://www.aidslaw.ca/=
>
) promotes the human rights of people living with and vulnerable to
HIV/AIDS, in Canada and internationally, through research, legal and policy
analysis, education, and community mobilization. The Legal Network is
Canada=92s leading advocacy organization working on the legal and human rig=
hts
issues raised by HIV/AIDS.
About M=E9decins Sans Fronti=E8res
M=E9decins Sans Fronti=E8res / Doctors Without Borders (www.msf.ca
<http://www.msf.ca/> ) is an independent international medical humanitarian
organization that delivers emergency aid to people affected by armed
conflict, epidemics, natural or man-made disasters, or exclusion from healt=
h
care in more than 70 countries.
-- 30 --
Disponible en fran=E7ais
For more information, please contact:
Leon Mar
Director of Communications
Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network
Telephone: +1 416 595-1666 ext. 228
Mobile: +1 416 278-3750
E-mail: lmar@aidslaw.ca
Website: www.aidslaw.ca <http://www.aidslaw.ca/>
Gregory Vandendaelen
Press Officer
M=E9decins Sans Fronti=E8res / Doctors Without Borders
Telephone: +1 514 845-5621 ext. 33
Mobile: +1 514 895-0405
E-mail: gvandendaelen@msf.ca
Website: www.msf.ca <http://www.msf.ca/>
_____
From: Clark, Douglas: POL [mailto:Clark.Douglas@ic.gc.ca]
Sent: November 24, 2006 3:12 PM
To: alan.barcock@ipsen.com; tkilad@po-box.mcgill.ca; tim@gilbertslaw.ca;
pwelford@canadapharma.org; dhamill@canadapharma.org;
bnolet@canadapharma.org; cacha@uottawa.ca; carol.devine@toronto.msf.org;
cblouin@nsi-ins.ca; gauri@ccic.ca; james.orbinski@utoronto.ca;
jdillon@kairoscanada.org; jeff@canadiangenerics.ca; jim@canadiangenerics.ca=
;
jkelsall@hpicanada.ca; jsinclair@united-church.ca; markf@oxfam.ca;
moconnor@icad-cisd.com; president@clc-ctc.ca; president@ipic.ca;
rachel_kidell-monroe@toronto.msf.org; reikys@oxfam.ca; relliott@aidslaw.ca;
rwilliams@canadapharma.org; srinivas.murthy@mail.mcgill.ca;
fulton@biolyse.ca; jszk@cahi-icsa.ca; peter.brenders@biotech.ca;
petere@genpharm.ca
Cc: Bincoletto, Susan: POL; Frendo, Mona: POL; Zirger, Brigitte: HC;
Galarneau, Sophie: POL; Pashley, Erica: POL; Sutherland-Brown, Rob: LEG
Subject: Release of CAMR consultation paper/publication du document
consultatif sur RCAM
This is to advise you that today, November 24, 2006, the Government of
Canada released a consultation paper on Canada's Access to Medicines Regime
(CAMR) as the first step in a statutorily mandated review. This document i=
s
available electronically on the Internet at www.camr-rcam.gc.ca
<file:///\\www.camr-rcam.gc.ca> . Interested parties have until January 24=
,
2007, to submit written comments to Industry Canada or Health Canada and al=
l
submissions so received will be posted online at the above mentioned websit=
e
within 15 days of that date.
Should you have any questions, please contact Brigitte Zirger at Health
Canada, or me, at the coordinates below.
Regards,
Douglas Clark
Director
Patent Policy Directorate
Industry Canada
(613) 952-2118
e-mail: clark.douglas@ic.gc.ca
Brigitte Zirger
Director
Bureau of Policy, Science and International Programs
Therapeutic Products Directorate
Health Canada
(613) 957-6451
e-mail: bpsip_info_bpspi@hc-sc.gc.ca
***
La pr=E9sente a pour but de vous aviser qu'aujourd'hui, le 24 novembre 2006=
,
le Gouvernement du Canada a publi=E9 un document de consultation sur le R=
=E9gime
canadien d=92acc=E8s aux m=E9dicaments (RCAM) comme premi=E8re =E9tape =E0 =
l=92examen
l=E9gislatif obligatoire. Ce document est disponible =E9lectroniquement au
<http://www.camr-rcam.gc.ca> www.camr-rcam.gc.ca. Les personnes
int=E9ress=E9es auront jusqu=92au 24 janvier 2007 pour pr=E9senter leurs
observations =E9crites =E0 Industrie Canada ou =E0 Sant=E9 Canada et toutes
observations re=E7ues seront affich=E9es sur le site Internet du RCAM dans =
les
15 jours suivant cette date.
Si vous avez des questions, n=92h=E9sitez pas =E0 communiquer avec Brigitte=
Zirger
=E0 Sant=E9 Canada, ou moi, aux coordonn=E9es indiqu=E9es ci-apr=E8s.
Amicalement,
Douglas Clark
Directeur
Direction des politiques des brevets
Industrie Canada
613-952-2118
courriel : clark.douglas@ic.gc.ca
Brigitte Zirger
Directrice
Bureau des politiques, sciences et programmes internationaux
Direction des produits th=E9rapeutiques
Sant=E9 Canada
613-957-6451
courriel : <mailto:bpsip_info_bpspi@hc-sc.gc.ca>
bpsip_info_bpspi@hc-sc.gc.ca