E-DRUG: Letter to India's new IPR Think Tank on IP and Access to Medicines
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A letter to India's newly constituted IPR Think Tank, authored by MSF and
signed by patient groups, public interest organisations, treatment
providers and academia world-wide, raises critical issues around the
intellectual property system in India. A particular area of concern is
pharmaceuticals, as India is a key global supplier of affordable generic
versions of drugs that otherwise would be out of reach for public health
programmes, treatment providers and millions of people.
In the present context of heightened US pressure on India's government, and
in particular on India's Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion
(DIPP), the letter signatories oppose any re-opening of the discussion on
patentability criteria, interpretation of Indian patent law, or the
introduction of TRIPS-plus standards, which would provide multinational
pharmaceutical companies and the US Trade Representative an opportunity to
take forward their agenda to undermine generic competition from India at
the expense of public health safeguards in India's patent law and
its negotiating position in various bilateral and international forums.
Any examination of IP issues by India's new IPR Think Tank must not further
undermine access to medicines or India's standing as the pharmacy of the
developing world, on which millions of people around the world rely. The
letter can be accessed here:
Shailly Gupta
MSF Access Campaign
K-30, Jangpura Extension
New Delhi – 14
+91-9899976108
Shailly <shailly.17@gmail.com>