E-drug: CIPLA applies for AZT compulsory license (cont'd)
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Nobody is asking Cipla to be the Salvation Army. We are only asking
Cipla to sell AZT significantly cheaper than Glaxo Wellcome in South
Africa and elsewhere. NGOs and patients groups worldwide are not
struggling for compulsory licenses and access to drugs for Cipla but
for people in need. The monopolistic situation is by far not
satisfactory; the duopolistic situation (two competitors) is better but
still not ideal because the second comer is not motivated to lower so
much the price. We ask Cipla to make much more effort on the price:
this will convince us that Cipla is not searching for easy profits (a
marginal rebate on a copy) but that pharmaceutical industry from
developing countries is a real alternative to profit driven
pharmaceutical giants. In conclusion: thanks Cipla, but you can and
must do better.
Pierre Chirac
MSF Paris
pierchir@club-internet.fr
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