People's Convention & Protest March Against the Patent Bill, New Delhi

[Guest guest]

Affordable Medicine and Treatment Campaign

Phone: 24321101/2, Email: aidslaw1@...

Contact person: Leena Menghaney, 9811365412

National Working Group on Patents Laws

Phone: 26813311, Email: wgkeayla@...

Research Foundation for Science, Technology & Ecology

Phone: 26968077,26561868 Email: vshiva@...

People's Convention & Protest March Against the Patent Bill, New Delhi

The Government of India has initiated the process to amend the Patents Act. A

Third Patent Amendment Bill is expected to be tabled in the Parliament during

the forthcoming winter session. The Bill in its present form seriously

compromises the accessibility and availability of medicines, two important

components of the right to health. As a signatory to the International Covenant

on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and the 'Doha Declaration'

(November 2001) on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health, the Government of

India is obliged to implement the TRIPS Agreement in a manner, which is

supportive to access to medicines for all.

The Patent (Amendment) Bill undermines farmers' rights to affordable seeds and

citizens' rights to affordable food and drugs, since plants, genetic material

and drugs are now patentable subject matters.

Public Interest Groups working on health, food security and farmers' rights are

gravely concerned that India through the Patent (Amendment) Bill will trade away

its right to safeguard public health and make independent policies and decisions

regarding its food security. As the first step to hold the government

accountable and to support a transparent process for the consideration of

amendments to the Patents Act, public interest groups in Delhi are organising a

People's Convention on the Patent (Amendment) Bill, 2004.

Date : 7th December 2004

Time : 10.00 a.m. - 12.00 p.m.

Venue: Speakers Hall, Constitution Club(followed by protest march to Parliament

St)

Speakers :

1. B. K. Keayla, National Working Group on Patent Laws

2. Vandana Shiva, Research Foundation for Science, Technology & Ecolog y

3. Anand Grover, Affordable Medicines & Treatment Campaign

4. K.K Abraham, Indian Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS

5. Dr. Amit Sen Gupta, People's Health Movement

Partners in the Campaign: All India Drug Action Network, CISRS-JWP-ATN, Delhi

Network of Positive People, Indian Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS, Jan

Swasthya Abhiyan, Lawyers Collective HIV/AIDS Unit, Sharan, Swaasthya, Voluntary

Health Association of India

lawyers

E-mail: <aidslaw@...>