NGOs join hands to fight drug monopoly

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NGOs fighting for access to affordable medicines join hands to fight

drug monopoly

Tuesday, November 14, 2006 08:00 IST

ph , New Delhi

Leading NGOs working for the cause of `access to affordable

medicines' in India have come together to fight against the

monopolies of the pharma companies and lobby with the political

leaders to ensure socio-centric clauses incorporated into the new

pharma policy.

The Centre for Trade and Development (Centad), the All India Drug

Action Network (AIDAN), the Indian Network for Persons Living with

HIV/AIDS (INP+), the ActionAid India, the Campaign for Access to

Essential Medicines -MSF and the Lawyers Collective HIV/AIDS Unit

have decided to frame a common agenda in this regard and the press

the cause.

At a workshop, held as part of the India Social Forum, the

representatives of the NGOs also decided to approach the pharma

companies to introduce more medicines for children and opportunistic

infection drugs.

Prioritising issues like data exclusivity, patent regime, price hike

of generic drugs and availability of second line anti-retroviral

drugs, Gopakumar of Centad said, the groups would frame a detailed

action plan soon and finalise it in the coming meetings of such like-

minded groups.

Moving the courts, reaching out to the masses by making available

information in Hindi, canvassing the Members of the Parliament in

their respective States by the regional organizations, close

cooperation with the media, filing of as many as post and pre-grant

patent complaints and lobbying with the bureaucrats will be the key

points of the action plan.

The organisations also decided to push the idea of `rational use of

drugs' among the stake-holders of the industry, in the run up to the

forthcoming global executive of the WHO, which is actively promoting

the cause this year.

Leena Menghaney of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) said the patent

simply meant monopoly and the groups should work together to scuttle

the moves of pharma majors to win the game against the county.

Taking part in the discussions, Elango Ramachandran of Indian

Network of Persons Living with HIV said ``whatever be the laws and

rules on data exclusivity or patent, we want affordable medicines to

survive.''

``Access to safe and affordable medication and treatment in India

have, over the past two years, come under increasing threat.

Multinational drug companies can now get 20 year patents. This means

monopolies on medicines and treatment in India and opportunity to

charge exorbitant prices and hold peoples' health to ransom! Now

they are pressuring our government to introduce even more

monopolies,'' the speakers said.

Terming the recent cut in the prices of 886 formulations,

voluntarily by the industry, as another `gimmick' to delay pharma

policy, the groups also wanted the Government to come out with the

list of essentials drugs at the earliest as directed by the Supreme

Court.

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