Posts tagged India

Novartis’s Day in Court Set for July 10, 2012 India’s Supreme Court will now begin hearing a challenge to the country’s patent law by the Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis on July 10, 2012.The Novartis Supreme Court case is the final act in a legal battle that stretches back six years and has significant ramifications for 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, 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”. MSF launched a social media campaign calling for Novartis to stop its legal attacks against India which threaten access to medicines for its patients. To participate in the Stop Novartis campaign, visit www.msfaccess.org/STOPnovartis WE NEED YOUR HELP!SIGN THIS PETITION TODAY!

Novartis’s Day in Court Set for July 10, 2012 India’s Supreme Court will now begin hearing a challenge to the country’s patent law by the Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis on July 10, 2012.

The Novartis Supreme Court case is the final act in a legal battle that stretches back six years and has significant ramifications for 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, 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”.

MSF launched a social media campaign calling for Novartis to stop its legal attacks against India which threaten access to medicines for its patients. To participate in the Stop Novartis campaign, visit www.msfaccess.org/STOPnovartis

WE NEED YOUR HELP!
SIGN THIS PETITION TODAY!

Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis patient and TB&ME blogger Athong talks from India about the stigma he faces living with the disease. Read Athong’s TB&ME blog here.

The pharmaceutical company Novartis continues to put profits above people by challenging a seven-year old Indian court ruling that, if overturned, would have a devastating effect on access to generic forms of essential medicines, including HIV medications, in the developing world.

#STOPNovartis

Access to Medicines: India Offers First Compulsory License Groundbreaking Move Sets Precedent for Overcoming Drug Price Barriers In a landmark case, the Indian Patent Office has issued the first-ever compulsory license in India to a generic drug manufacturer. This effectively ends German pharmaceutical company Bayer’s monopoly in India on the drug sorafenib tosylate, used to treat kidney and liver cancer. The Patent Office acted on the basis that Bayer had not only failed to price the drug at an accessible and affordable level, but that it had also failed to ensure that the medicine was available in sufficient and sustainable quantities within India. “We have been following this case closely because newer drugs to treat HIV are patented in India, and as a result are priced out of reach,” said Dr. Tido von Schoen-Angerer, director of the Doctors Without Borders Access Campaign. “But this decision marks a precedent that offers hope: it shows that new drugs under patent can also be produced by generic makers at a fraction of the price, while royalties are paid to the patent holder. This compensates patent holders while at the same time ensuring that competition can bring down prices.” Competition from the generic version will bring the price of the drug in India down dramatically, from over US$5,500 per month to close to US$175 per month — a price reduction of nearly 97 per cent.

Access to Medicines: India Offers First Compulsory License

Groundbreaking Move Sets Precedent for Overcoming Drug Price Barriers

In a landmark case, the Indian Patent Office has issued the first-ever compulsory license in India to a generic drug manufacturer. This effectively ends German pharmaceutical company Bayer’s monopoly in India on the drug sorafenib tosylate, used to treat kidney and liver cancer.

The Patent Office acted on the basis that Bayer had not only failed to price the drug at an accessible and affordable level, but that it had also failed to ensure that the medicine was available in sufficient and sustainable quantities within India.

“We have been following this case closely because newer drugs to treat HIV are patented in India, and as a result are priced out of reach,” said Dr. Tido von Schoen-Angerer, director of the Doctors Without Borders Access Campaign. “But this decision marks a precedent that offers hope: it shows that new drugs under patent can also be produced by generic makers at a fraction of the price, while royalties are paid to the patent holder. This compensates patent holders while at the same time ensuring that competition can bring down prices.”

Competition from the generic version will bring the price of the drug in India down dramatically, from over US$5,500 per month to close to US$175 per month — a price reduction of nearly 97 per cent.

There will be nothing left to defend if we lose, people are definitely on edge about this case.
Leena Menghaney,
a manager based in New Delhi for Doctors Without Borders, which advocates for generic drugs.

Leena Menghaney is speaking about the Novartis case involving the production of life giving generic medications that are produced in India.

Quote taken from New York Times Article “India’s Supreme Court to Hear Dispute on Drug Patents By Vikas Bajaj and Andrew Pollack”

HELP US STOP NOVARTIS, SIGN THE PETITION!
HELP AVAAZ GET TO 100,000 SIGNATURES! In days, a multi-billion dollar Swiss pharma company may get the Indian Supreme Court to shut down our supply of affordable medicines. Only we can stop this outrage.PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION! Novartis is suing [the Indian] government so it can squeeze more profits from the sick and needy. If Novartis wins, it will threaten Indian companies’ ability to produce low-cost medicines for malaria, AIDS, cancer and other life-threatening diseases, depriving millions around the world of the treatments they desperately need and threatening thousands of Indian jobs. But people power can push Novartis to drop the suit before the final ruling. Learn more. Photo: India 2007 © MSF

HELP AVAAZ GET TO 100,000 SIGNATURES!

In days, a multi-billion dollar Swiss pharma company may get the Indian Supreme Court to shut down our supply of affordable medicines. Only we can stop this outrage.

PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION!

Novartis is suing [the Indian] government so it can squeeze more profits from the sick and needy. If Novartis wins, it will threaten Indian companies’ ability to produce low-cost medicines for malaria, AIDS, cancer and other life-threatening diseases, depriving millions around the world of the treatments they desperately need and threatening thousands of Indian jobs. But people power can push Novartis to drop the suit before the final ruling. Learn more. Photo: India 2007 © MSF

Novartis’s Day in Court Set for March 28, Campaign to Drop the Case Continues Hearings in the case between Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis and the Indian government are now set to start on March 28. The Novartis supreme court case is the final act in a six-year legal battle 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, Doctors Without Borders —along with other treatment providers, patient groups, and affected communities—has appealed to Novartis to drop its case against India, 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. To participate in the Stop Novartis campaign, visit www.msfaccess.org/STOPnovartis.Photo: India 2011 © Guddu MSF protested Novartis’s case against the Indian government outside the pharmaceutical company’s Mumbai office on World AIDS Day.

Novartis’s Day in Court Set for March 28, Campaign to Drop the Case Continues

Hearings in the case between Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis and the Indian government are now set to start on March 28.

The Novartis supreme court case is the final act in a six-year legal battle 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, Doctors Without Borders —along with other treatment providers, patient groups, and affected communities—has appealed to Novartis to drop its case against India, 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. To participate in the Stop Novartis campaign, visit www.msfaccess.org/STOPnovartis.

Photo: India 2011 © Guddu MSF protested Novartis’s case against the Indian government outside the pharmaceutical company’s Mumbai office on World AIDS Day.

The drug company Novartis is taking India to court to stop production of affordable generic medicines that millions of people depend on to stay alive.

Last week, we joined other activists to protest the lawsuit at the company’s headquarters in NYC.

Reblog to join the protest!

Wednesday, Doctors Without Borders joined other demonstrators to protest outside the New York offices of the pharmaceutical company Novartis. The protest was against an attack on India’s patent law by Novartis, a case currently before India’s Supreme Court. If Novartis wins, the production of life-saving generic medicines — including important anti-retroviral drugs for people living with HIV/AIDS — could be adversely affected. TAKE ACTION! Photo: 2012 © Michael Goldfarb

Wednesday, Doctors Without Borders joined other demonstrators to protest outside the New York offices of the pharmaceutical company Novartis. The protest was against an attack on India’s patent law by Novartis, a case currently before India’s Supreme Court.

If Novartis wins, the production of life-saving generic medicines — including important anti-retroviral drugs for people living with HIV/AIDS — could be adversely affected.

TAKE ACTION!


Photo: 2012 © Michael Goldfarb

Yesterday, Doctors Without Borders joined other demonstrators to protest outside the New York offices of the pharmaceutical company Novartis. The protest was against an attack on India’s patent law by Novartis, a case currently before India’s Supreme Court. If Novartis wins, the production of life-saving generic medicines — including important anti-retroviral drugs for people living with HIV/AIDS — could be adversely affected. TAKE ACTION! Photo: 2012 © Michael Goldfarb

Yesterday, Doctors Without Borders joined other demonstrators to protest outside the New York offices of the pharmaceutical company Novartis. The protest was against an attack on India’s patent law by Novartis, a case currently before India’s Supreme Court.

If Novartis wins, the production of life-saving generic medicines — including important anti-retroviral drugs for people living with HIV/AIDS — could be adversely affected.

TAKE ACTION!


Photo: 2012 © Michael Goldfarb

WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT! Follow us @MSF_USA for updates from the protest today. If you can’t make it to NYC, share this petition in solidarity with the millions around the world whose access to medicine is being threatened. Every reblog counts!

WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT!

Follow us @MSF_USA for updates from the protest today. If you can’t make it to NYC, share this petition in solidarity with the millions around the world whose access to medicine is being threatened. Every reblog counts!

HELP AVAAZ GET TO 50,000 SIGNATURES! In days, a multi-billion dollar Swiss pharma company may get the Indian Supreme Court to shut down our supply of affordable medicines. Only we can stop this outrage.PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION! Novartis is suing [the Indian] government so it can squeeze more profits from the sick and needy. If Novartis wins, it will threaten Indian companies’ ability to produce low-cost medicines for malaria, AIDS, cancer and other life-threatening diseases, depriving millions around the world of the treatments they desperately need and threatening thousands of Indian jobs. But people power can push Novartis to drop the suit before the final ruling. Learn more.

HELP AVAAZ GET TO 50,000 SIGNATURES!

In days, a multi-billion dollar Swiss pharma company may get the Indian Supreme Court to shut down our supply of affordable medicines. Only we can stop this outrage.

PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION!

Novartis is suing [the Indian] government so it can squeeze more profits from the sick and needy. If Novartis wins, it will threaten Indian companies’ ability to produce low-cost medicines for malaria, AIDS, cancer and other life-threatening diseases, depriving millions around the world of the treatments they desperately need and threatening thousands of Indian jobs. But people power can push Novartis to drop the suit before the final ruling. Learn more.

Access: The Novartis Drop the Case Campaign The drug company Novartis is taking India to court to stop the production of affordable medicines by generic drug manufacturers. Millions of people in developing countries depend on these lifesaving medicines to stay alive and healthy. Ahead of the final hearing at India’s supreme court, join our campaign and call for a stop to this attack on generic medicines. Learn more. Join in on the action and tweet this line: Help #MSF protect access to affordable meds, tell @Novartis to drop its case vs #India http://ow.ly/8XPoQ #STOPnovartis Photo: India 2007 © MSF

Access: The Novartis Drop the Case Campaign

The drug company Novartis is taking India to court to stop the production of affordable medicines by generic drug manufacturers. Millions of people in developing countries depend on these lifesaving medicines to stay alive and healthy. Ahead of the final hearing at India’s supreme court, join our campaign and call for a stop to this attack on generic medicines. Learn more.

Join in on the action and tweet this line:

Help #MSF protect access to affordable meds, tell @Novartis to drop its case vs #India http://ow.ly/8XPoQ #STOPnovartis

Photo: India 2007 © MSF

Leaving people without drugs is like tying a rope round a person’s neck

Charles

Charles, a Kenyan who benefits from access to vital medications that are at risk of being cut off.

Join in on the action and tweet this line:

Help #MSF protect access to affordable meds, tell @Novartis to drop its case vs #India http://ow.ly/8XPoQ #STOPnovartis

More about the situation in India regarding the law suit with Novartis and what actions YOU can take!

KILLING THOUSANDS TO MAKE MILLIONS In days, a multi-billion dollar Swiss pharma company may get the Indian Supreme Court to shut down our supply of affordable medicines. Only we can stop this outrage. PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION! Novartis is suing [the Indian] government so it can squeeze more profits from the sick and needy. If Novartis wins, it will threaten Indian companies’ ability to produce low-cost medicines for malaria, AIDS, cancer and other life-threatening diseases, depriving millions around the world of the treatments they desperately need and threatening thousands of Indian jobs. But people power can push Novartis to drop the suit before the final ruling. Learn more.

KILLING THOUSANDS TO MAKE MILLIONS

In days, a multi-billion dollar Swiss pharma company may get the Indian Supreme Court to shut down our supply of affordable medicines. Only we can stop this outrage.

PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION!

Novartis is suing [the Indian] government so it can squeeze more profits from the sick and needy. If Novartis wins, it will threaten Indian companies’ ability to produce low-cost medicines for malaria, AIDS, cancer and other life-threatening diseases, depriving millions around the world of the treatments they desperately need and threatening thousands of Indian jobs. But people power can push Novartis to drop the suit before the final ruling. Learn more.