[Ip-health] Invitation: Hearing at European Parliament "PATIENTS BEFORE PATENTS"

[Sheila.SHETTLE@geneva.msf.org]

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                   THE MEMBERS OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT=0D
               Anne Ferreira, Dorette Corbey, Caroline Lucas,=0D
                      Max Van Den Berg, Carl Schlyter,=0D
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               are pleased to invite you to an Hearing about=0D
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                          PATIENTS BEFORE PATENTS=0D
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        A KEY SOURCE OF AFFORDABLE MEDICINES IS AT RISK OF DRYING UP=0D
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 The case of Novartis=E2=80=99s challenge against the Indian government and=
 what it=0D
             could mean for millions of people across the globe=0D
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                         TUESDAY 23rd JANUARY 2007=0D
                              12:30 to 2:00 pm=0D
                       European Parliament, Brussels=0D
                                Room A 1 H-1=0D
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 Patients  need  affordable drugs. Today India is the place where they come=
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 from,  the more patents in India the more we will have to deal with higher=
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 drugs prices. People in the developing world cannot afford those - funders=
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 cannot fund them.=0D
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 Today  Novartis is challenging the Indian patent law that has been adopted=
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 in  a  way to ensure the access to medicines for developing world. For the=
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 reasons  below the EU should support India in its pro public health patent=
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 policies and call Novartis to drop the case.=0D
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 The  EU  is  a  supporter  of  the  Doha  declaration  that should lead to=
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 medicines  for  all.  The WTO allows derogations to patent protection  and=
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 the  Doha  declaration  on  TRIPs  still  applies,  which states that =E2=
=80=9Cthe=0D
 Agreement  [TRIPs]  can  and  should  be  interpreted and implemented in a=
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 manner supportive of WTO members=E2=80=99 s right to protect public health=
 and, in=0D
 particular, to promote access to medicines for all".=0D
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 The European Parliament gave its support and its recommendations vis-=C3=
=A0-vis=0D
 the  access  to  medicines  issue  and  India  in  a resolution adopted on=
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 September  29,  2005  on  the EU-India relations: A strategic Partnership,=
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 (2004/2169  (INI)). Through this resolution the EP stressed on the crucial=
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 role  of the India concerning the access to medicines for all and the need=
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 to  ensure  that  India  will  implement  its  IP law in manner that avoid=
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 barriers  to  the  production, marketing and export of essential medicines=
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 for developing world.=0D
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 The  following  presentations  will  provide a clear overview of the issue=
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 focusing  on  the Novartis case and the stakes for the access to medicines=
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 of people in the developing world.=0D
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 Introduction/opening by the host MEPs Anne Ferreira, Dorette Corbey,=0D
 Caroline Lucas=0D
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 Mrs  Ellen  't  Hoen  ,  Director Policy Advocacy M=C3=A9decins Sans Front=
i=C3=A8res=0D
 Access   to   Essential   Medicines  Campaign  =E2=80=9CIndia  and  pharma=
ceutical=0D
 patenting, are we closing down the pharmacy of the poor?=E2=80=9D=0D
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 Mr  Tahir  Amin,  The Initiative for Medicines, Access & Knowledge (I-MAK)=
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 =E2=80=9CPutting   Patients   before  Patents:  Protecting  the  right  to=
  access=0D
 medicines.=E2=80=9D=0D
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 Discussion (about 30 min.)=0D
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 Conclusion by MEPs=0D
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     Please confirm your attendance to Thierry Leguay, assistant of Ms.=0D
                               FERREIRA Anne=0D
             e-mail: anne.ferreira-assistant@europarl.europa.eu=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
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SIGN MSF'S 'DROP THE CASE' PETITION=0D
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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
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MSF is urging Novartis to DROP THE CASE.=0D
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Find out more and sign up to our petition:=0D
http://www.msf.org/petition_india/international.html