| De: |
"Peter F. Borges" [ Profil ] |
| Sujet: |
A petition that can save millions
|
| Envoyé: |
Apr 11th, 2007 - 07:40:48 |
|
| |
MEMBERS ARE ADVISED TO TREAT ANY CORRESPONDENCE RECEIVED WITH DUE DILIGENCE AND CARE. GLOBAL VOLUNTEERS WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY MONEYS LOST DUE TO CORRESPONDENVE VIA THE ORGANIZATION.
-------------------------------------------------------
VISIT WWW.TAIRO.TK FOR EDUCATIVE AND INFORMATIVE DISCUSSIONS.
-------------------------------------------------------
Médecins Sans Frontière (www.msf.org) has issued an alert about a lawsuit that the Swiss drugs firm, Novartis, has brought against India, demanding a patent for one of its products (a leukaemia drug, Gleevac). Drug firms have a habit of making minor improvements to their products and then insisting on patent renewal. Indian has been saying the products are not new really and makes its own versions at meagre prices. For example, treating African AIDS cases with patented drugs cost $10,000 a year in 2000;. India's generic version costs a mere $130.
Novartis was one of the 39 companies that took the South African government to court five years ago, in an effort to overturn the country's medicines act that was designed to bring drug prices down. Now Novartis is up to it again and is targeting India.
MSF says that "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.
"India produces affordable medicines that are vital to many people living in developing countries. Over half the medicines currently used for AIDS treatment in developing countries come from India and such medicines are used to treat over 80% of the 80,000 AIDS patients in Médecins Sans Frontières projects.
"If Novartis is successful in its challenge against the Indian government and its patent law, more medicines are likely to be patented in India, making it very difficult for generic producers to make affordable versions of them. This could affect millions of people around the world who depend on medicines produced in India."
Here is a greedy and grasping western corporation that puts profits before people. Novartis is among many such heartless corporations that can create damage, death and devastation in the developing world. Moral considerations simply don't matter.
Then along comes a little, underfunded western NGO to pick up the pieces and offer crumbs of comfort to the victims. In this case it is the MSF.
MSF has prepared a petition on it website (www.msf.org) with the message:
---------------
PEOPLE BEFORE PATENTS:
THE LIVES OF MILLIONS ARE AT STAKE!!
SIGN-ON TO HELP PROTECT ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE MEDICINES!!
Pharmaceutical company Novartis is taking the Indian government to court. If the company wins, millions of people across the globe could have their sources of affordable medicines dry up.
---------------
MSF's petition would like Novartis to drop their case and requests you to add your signature.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Peter F. Borges
Programme Coordinator, HIV/AIDS
Advocacy and Care & Support
The Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA)
140, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Nagpur - 440001, Maharashtra, India
Phone: +91-712-2524 834, 2548 789, 2540 024; Telefax: +91-712-2548 789
Cell: +91-9923414559
E-mail: peter.borges (at) ymcanagpur.org, petervision2025 (at) gmail.com
********************************************************************************************
This e-mail is confidential. It may also be legally privileged. If you are not the addressee you may not copy, forward, disclose or use any part of it. If you have received this message in error, please delete it and all copies from your system and notify the sender immediately by return e-mail.
Internet communications cannot be guaranteed to be timely, secure, error or virus-free. The sender does not accept liability for any errors or omissions.
"SAVE PAPER - THINK BEFORE YOU PRINT!"
|
|
Message
Retour aux messages 
