[Ip-health] European Parliament's Vice president highly welcomes ASAQ solution- A solution without the patent profit mechanism

[Alexandra HEUMBER]

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Please below a letter from the Vice President of the European Parliament,=
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Luisa Morgantini, to the DNDi, regarding to the launch of the new=0D
anti-malarial therapy ASAQ: A solution without the patent profit mechanism=
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is possible.=0D
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"I also consider the innovative partnership between DNDi and=0D
Sanofi/Aventis a=0D
concrete answer to the Novartis case in India, in which I'm personally=0D
engaged in=0D
favour of the lawfulness of the generic version of "Gleevec" distribution.=
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Thanks to ASAQ solution, it will be more difficult now for the big=0D
pharmaceutical companies to defend the thesis according to which it is not=
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possible to make progress in pharmaceutical innovation, without the patent=
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profit mechanism."=0D
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http://www.actwithasaq.org/pdf/asaqeuro.pdf=0D
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Brussels, 1 March 2007=0D
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Dear Bernard Pecoul,=0D
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I sincerely regret not being present today at the launch of the new=0D
antimalarial therapy ASAQ by DNDi and Sanofi-Aventis, as I would have=0D
liked to. This is an event that I consider especially important. An event=
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that drives a decisive step forward in the fight against poverty and death=
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caused by "neglected diseases" in Africa and other impoverished countries.=
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Let me say, first of all, that I very much welcome the fact that the new=0D
ASAQ=0D
antimalarial fixed-dose combination is born without patent. This means=0D
that, for the first time, the health of millions of people has been rated=
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as more important than profits in the creation of a new life-saving drug.=
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The traits of the new therapy ASAQ lead to a remarkable degree of=0D
enthusiasm, both in terms of availability and accessibility of the drug.=0D
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I therefore would like to offer my deepest congratulations to DNDi and=0D
Sanofi/Aventis, as you finally give us the tangible evidence that patents=
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can be=0D
skipped in the interest of public health, especially for poor people with=
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no purchasing power. As you know, this is a concern that all human rights=
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organizations and the civil society worldwide have voiced for years,=0D
claiming the fundamental people=E2=80=99s right of access to essential heal=
th=0D
tools. This battle is still on, and we are still working on it.=0D
=0D
I also consider the innovative partnership between DNDi and Sanofi/Aventis=
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a=0D
concrete answer to the Novartis case in India, in which I'm personally=0D
engaged in=0D
favour of the lawfulness of the generic version of "Gleevec" distribution.=
=0D
Thanks to ASAQ solution, it will be more difficult now for the big=0D
pharmaceutical companies to defend the thesis according to which it is not=
=0D
possible to make progress in pharmaceutical innovation, without the patent=
=0D
profit mechanism.=0D
=0D
The new global health public good approach pursued by DNDi and=0D
Sanofi/Aventis and their results demonstrates that a new way is possible.=
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The largest possible access of population remains the goal and its=0D
accomplishment will depend on the cooperation among all actors involved=0D
(NGOs, civil society, academia, institutional bodies and enterprises) and=
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from the support they will be able to give to this new approach.=0D
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As member and vice-president of the European Parliament I reaffirm my=0D
commitment to make sure the European Union, which has given financial=0D
support to ASAQ, will continue its efforts in spreading the new treatment=
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to the widest possible segment of the population in need.=0D
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Sincerely yours,=0D
=0D
Luisa Morgantini=0D
Vice-President of the European Parliament=0D
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=0D
=0D
Alexandra Heumber=0D
EU Advocacy Liaison Officer=0D
M=C3=A9decins Sans Fronti=C3=A8res=0D
Access to Essential Medicines Campaign=0D
Rue Dupr=C3=A9, 94. 1090 Brussels=0D
++32 (0) 2 474 75 09 (Dir off)=0D
++ 32 (0) 479 514 900 (Mob)=0D
++ 32 (0) 2 474 75 75 (Fax)=0D
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