E-DRUG: CIPLA on 5 years Doha Declaration
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[Interesting views from a big generic company that was instrumental in bringing ARV prices down. WB]
Press Release 6th November 2006
FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DOHA DECLARATION - 14TH NOVEMBER 2001
The Doha Declaration of 14th November 2001 was a historic event. All the
seven points formulated after a process of considerable diligence were
mindful of the public health problems faced by the developing and least
developed countries of the world. Its focus included HIV/AIDS, T.B.,
Malaria and other epidemics. However, unfortunately, even five years later
its provisions have not been implemented.
The impact of non-implementation of the initial Doha Declaration will
certainly be felt throughout the third world. Cipla was the first company
worldwide in 2001, to radically bring down the price of anti-AIDS triple
combination drugs from US$ 12,000 per patient per year to below US$ 1 per
day. Over the past 5 years this has had a significant impact on the
treatment of HIV/AIDS. As of today, approximately 1.3 million HIV positive
patients are being treated by anti-retroviral drugs, of which approximately
one third i.e. 400,000 are on Cipla's medications, the cost of which today
is well below US$ 150 per patient per year for the first line triple drug
regimentation.
Cipla strongly believes that access to medicines is a fundamental human
right. Cipla has consistently articulated this belief at various public
forums in the past. To be more emphatic, "What's the use of developing
life-saving medicines if you can't make them affordable to the patient?"
Currently, Cipla continues to make available most of the HIV/AIDS drugs that
were invented prior to the WTO Agreement on patents (1995), at affordable
prices. However, patents are likely to prevent Cipla from producing
affordable versions of the most recent HIV drugs available in the world,
such as atazanavir, darunavir or tipranavir. Indeed, the WTO mandates that
these medicines shall be patentable in every country. In effect this means
that Cipla can no longer develop any generic versions of new and emerging
medicines for a dreaded disease like HIV/AIDS.
Thus, five years after the Doha Declaration, the world has not upheld its
promise to the poor and diseased. The obstacles posed by the globalization
of patents is still blocking access to medicines at affordable prices.
Worse, whereas the Doha Declaration called for the WTO agreement on patents
to be implemented in a manner conducive to access to medicines, in reality
India was pressured last year into broadening the scope of patents and
narrowing the scope of compulsory licensing - well beyond its obligations
under the TRIPS agreement.
Cipla recognizes the fact that intellectual property has to be suitably
rewarded, but the third world countries including India cannot afford a
monopoly in health care. It is imperative that the original Doha Declaration
of 2001 be passed in its original form, with a clause of compulsory
licensing of all valid patents for all essential drugs required in the third
world under payment of a nominal royalty to the originator. Unless this is
done, newer drugs developed for HIV such as the integrase inhibitors and
newer protease inhibitors will never be freely available at equitable
prices. As a company that contributes towards making life better for
everyone and follows a humanitarian approach to diseases prevalent,
essentially in the third world, Cipla would very much like to see the world
take a positive stand and urgently implement the original Doha Declaration.
CIPLA Corporate HQ
India
corporate@cipla.com