[Ip-health] Release: Letter to Colombian Gov. in support of Civil Society Compulsory License Request

[Aaron Boyle]

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[ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]



Press Release
For Immediate Release

International Coalition of Public Health Advocacy Groups Sends Letter to Co=
lombian Government Supporting Kaletra Compulsory License Request from Civil=
 Society

Patients=92 groups and allies say open license for lopinavir/ritonavir woul=
d promote access to medicines for all
2:30pm protest outside Press Center
3:00pm Press Conference in Room 1 (Azteca)



Contacts:

Peter Maybarduk, Essential Action
(en M=E9xico)
+52 55 1902-1954
maybarduk@gmail.com

David Morales Alba, Comunicaci=F3n Positiva
(en M=E9xico)
+52 55 2819-2970
david.morales@comunicacionpositiva.org
Mexico City, Wednesday, August 6, 2008 =96 An international coalition of ov=
er three-dozen patients=92 and public health advocacy groups sent a letter =
today to representatives of the Colombian government, endorsing Colombian c=
ivil society groups=92 recent request for an open compulsory license on AID=
S medicine lopinavir/ritonavir (marketed by Abbott Laboratories under the t=
rade name Kaletra).   The coalition includes groups from six continents, an=
d chapters of such public health stalwarts as Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF=
, Doctors Without Borders), Health Action International, Health GAP and ACT=
UP, as well as law programs, medical students and patients=92 organizations=
.

=93Issuing a compulsory license in this case will help promote access to me=
dicines for all,=94 wrote the groups. =93Lopinavir/ritonavir is a key medic=
ine in the treatment of HIV/AIDS. The high price charged by Abbott, the pat=
ent holder for this medicine, constitutes a barrier to access and hinders e=
fforts to make antiretroviral treatment available in Colombia to all who ne=
ed it.=94

On 16 July, 2008, an alliance of Colombian civil society groups filed a req=
uest for their government to issue an open compulsory license on the life-s=
aving anti-retroviral drug lopinavir/ritonavir in order to enable access to=
 generic versions of the drug, which will create competition and lead to mo=
re affordable prices. Several months earlier, on 7 April, 2008, Colombian c=
ivil society asked Abbott directly to voluntarily license its patent, but t=
o date, Abbott has not responded to the groups' request.

"My government must not let its people die when there exists a simple, affo=
rdable solution to helping people with HIV/AIDS live normal lives," says Fr=
ancisco Rossi of Colombian NGO IFARMA-Health Action International.

The Colombian government is empowered under the WTO TRIPS Agreement and And=
ean Community rules to issue compulsory licenses, authorizing generic compe=
tition with patented medicines to protect public health, in exchange for a =
reasonable royalty to the patent holder.

"We stand with our Colombian civil society allies in calling for Colombia t=
o utilize the TRIPS flexibilities available to them.  We request that Colom=
bian leaders move forward with this important method of protecting the publ=
ic health of their constituents", said Samantha Sitrin of ACTUP Philadelphi=
a.

"The Colombian government must partner with patients, instead of with Abbot=
t, following the example of the many countries that have issued compulsory =
licenses," says Mary Carol Jennings from the American Medical Student Assoc=
iation. "This means making generic medications available at low cost to peo=
ple whose lives depend on them."

Kaletra currently costs the Colombian public sector approximately US$1683 p=
er patient, per year, and prices for private health organizations reach $44=
49. Peru and Bolivia, by contrast, pay less than $800 for generic lopinavir=
/ritonavir. Through a recent accord with the Clinton Foundation, prices in =
the region could fall to $550. By issuing a compulsory license and allowing=
 generics firms to compete with Abbott's Kaletra, the Colombian government =
could save well over US$1million annually.  Colombian civil society groups =
point out that these savings could be invested in scaling up HIV/AIDS treat=
ment and strengthening Colombia=92s health system.


Mesa de Organizaciones que trabajan en VIH/SIDA (en Bogot=E1)* +57-1-338-49=
91 *  licencia.obligatoria.colombia@gmail.com
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