Novartis Update: Hearings in Novartis petition to now commence in end-March 2012
Hearings in the case opposing Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis and the Indian government are now set to start on 28 March. The Novartis Supreme Court case is the final act in a legal battle that stretches back six years over India's future capacity to produce low-cost generic medicines for its people, and for patients across developing countries.
Given the possible implications for generic production and the availability of affordable medicines from India, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), along with other treatment providers, patient groups and affected communities, has appealed to Novartis to drop its case against the pharmacy of the developing world.
In February, MSF launched a social media campaign calling for Novartis to stop its legal attacks against India which threaten access to medicines for its patients.