[Ip-health] India - CPI sees bid to block export of generic drugs

[Riaz K Tayob]

Date:22/11/2008 URL:
http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/22/stories/2008112255861100.htm Back



National

CPI sees bid to block export of generic drugs

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The Communist Party of India (CPI) has asked the Centre to
clarify its stand on renewed attempts by multinational pharmaceutical
companies and developed countries to block generic drugs manufactured in
India for sale and export.

In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, CPI general secretary A.B.
Bardhan said the new attempts came under the guise of tackling
sub-standard and spurious medicines.

Known as =91anti-counterfeiting,=92 numerous proposals were being floated
internationally to define counterfeiting in a way that would block legal
generics from being exported.

Drawing Dr. Singh=92s attention to the fact that Parliament had been clear
on the need to ensure access to cheap and quality generic medicines, Mr.
Bardhan said these efforts were now sought to be undermined by the
=91anti-counterfeiting=92 measures. These proposed measures include a new
definition of counterfeiting emerging from the World Health Organisation
(WHO). Within the WHO, this was being pushed by a group known as IMPACT
or the International Medical Products Anti-Counterfeiting Taskforce.

The antecedents of IMPACT were well known and their agenda was clear. By
confusing the issue of the quality of medicines with that of
Intellectual Property they were furthering the agenda of multinational
pharmaceutical companies to halt the export of medicines by Indian
companies.

=93This is no surprise as the industry association of multinational
pharmaceutical companies, the International Federation of Pharmaceutical
Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA) is part of IMPACT and has
consistently opposed the manufacture of safe generic medicines in India.=94

Mr. Bardhan said IMPACT had no official sanction. India and other
developing countries in May halted a resolution on counterfeiting. More
and more developing countries were realising the need to ensure access
to generic medicines to fulfil the right to health.

The Drugs Controller General of India is scheduled to attend a meeting
at Bonn on November 25 and 26.

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