PETITION: PEOPLE BEFORE PATENTS

It is of utmost importance that people living with HIV have access to affordable medicaments. Over 50 percent of the medicines currently used for AIDS treatment in the countries of the South come from India. The Indian patent law allows for the manufacturing of cheap generics. Novartis filed a case against the Indian government and the Indian patent law. If the company wins the case, India would no longer be allowed to manufacture generics and to supply much of the developing world with cheap essential medicines – with a devastating impact on people living with HIV.

Medecins Sans Frontières (MSF), partner of aidsfocus.ch, launched a petition to urge Novartis to drop the case against the Indian government. The petition can be signed online.

Helena Zweifel Coordinator aidsfocus.ch

“Millions of people around the world today rely on affordable medicines produced in India. India's law contains elements that help put people before patents, but Novartis is taking the Indian government to court to force a change in the law. Neither Novartis, nor any company, should stand in the way of people's right to access the medicines they need.

People before Patents: The lives of millions are at stake!”

http://www.msf.org

Novartis applied for a patent in India on the cancer drug imatinib mesylate, which the company markets under the brand name Gleevec/Glivec in many countries. The patent was rejected in India in January 2006 on the grounds that the drug was a new form of an old drug, and therefore was not patentable under Indian law.

In May 2006, the company filed an appeal to the patent rejection, as well as a challenge against Section 3(d) of India’s Patents Act. If Novartis gets its way and the law is changed there is likely to be more patenting of medicines in India, which will in turn restrict the availability of affordable generic versions of essential drugs produced in India. And this would be detrimental for the millions of people worldwide who depend on them.

The next scheduled hearing in Chennai High Court in India is on January 29, 2007

Background information:

http://www.aidsfocus.ch
http://www.msf.org

Why do millions of people rely on India for affordable medicines? - What is the relationship between patents and affordable medicines? - Why does India grant patents on drugs now? - Why is Novartis suing the Indian Government? - How is it possible for India to reject a patent that is granted in other countries? - Does India have the right to have this particular patent law? - What will happen if Novartis wins the case?

http://www.msf.org

Tido von Schoen-Angerer of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), director of MSF’s Access Campaign on generic drug supply and the Novartis case, fears a shortage of affordable medicines in developing countries if the patent on the cancer drug Gleevec is granted to Novartis by an Indian court.

http://www.aidsfocus.ch

aidsfocus.ch is a project set up by Medicus Mundi Switzerland. aidsfocus.ch is sponsored and shaped by 30 partner organizations who support the aims and activities of the platform through their contributions, expertise and commitment. The platform is financially supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation SDC.

Partners: AIDS & Child, Bethlehem Mission Immensee, Caritas Switzerland, cinfo, CO-OPERAID, Déclaration de Berne, Doctors without Borders, FEPA, Fédération Genevoise de Coopération, Gemeinschaft St. Anna-Schwestern, HEKS, IAMANEH Switzerland, International Federation of the Blue Cross, INTERTEAM, medico international Switzerland, mediCuba-Suisse, mission, REPSSI, SolidarMed, Swiss Aids Care International, Swiss Aids Federation, missio, mission 21, Swiss Aids Care International, Swiss Catholic Lenten Fund, Swiss MIVA, Swiss Red Cross, Swiss Tropical Institute, Tear Fund, Terre des hommes Foundation, terre des hommes - Switzerland, World Vision Switzerland.