Fix the Patent Laws: Campaigning for pro-public health reform of South Africa’s Patents Act
A Treatment Action Campaign briefing document Background The Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property (“the TRIPS agreement”), effective from 1 January 1995, set standards of intellectual property protection that member states of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) are required to uphold in their own national laws.[1] The TRIPS agreement requires WTO member countries […]
Public lecture today on India’s battle for pro-public health IP laws
When: Thursday January 26, 18h00
Patent legislation
Patents Act No 57 of 1978 as last amended in 2002 Patents Amendment Act No 20 of 2005
Read the November 2011 issue of Equal Treatment: Fix the law – Save our lives
Read the full magazine at http://www.tac.org.za/community/files/file/etmag/ET41/ET41English.pdf
TAC calls on government to amend South Africa’s Patents Act and protect our right to health
Press release 16 November 2011 (Cape Town) – Ten years ago this week, member countries of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) signed the Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health (“the Doha Declaration”). Members were gathered in Doha to discuss valid concerns that an international agreement to protect intellectual […]
About the Campaign
Fix the Patent Laws is a campaign co-founded by SECTION27, Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) and Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in 2011. Since then, the coalition has grown to include 38 other organisations fighting together to push South Africa to amend its patent laws to prioritise public health. Through this blog we will highlight how amending South Africa’s Patents Act 57 of 1978 will reduce the cost of medicines, improving the health and saving the lives of millions of South Africans.The members of the Fix the Patent Laws Campaign are as follows: Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), Doctors Without Borders (MSF), SECTION27, the South African Non-Communicable Diseases Alliance (SANCD Alliance), DiabetesSA, EpilepsySA, Marie Stopes South Africa, Stop Stock Outs Project (SSP), South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG), Cape Mental Health (CMH), the South African Federation of Mental Health (SAFMH), Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorders Alliance (SABDA), as well as the following members of the Cancer Alliance and Advocates for Breast Cancer: Breast Course 4 Nurses, Breast Health Foundation, Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA), Cancer Heroes, Can-Sir, CanSurvive, Care for Cancer Foundation, Childhood Cancer Foundation of South Africa (CHOC), Hospice Palliative Care Association (HPCA), Igazi Foundation, Look Good Feel Better, Love your Nuts, Lymphoedema Association of South Africa (LAOSA), Men’s Foundation, National Council Against Smoking, National Oncology Nursing Association of SA, Pancreatic Cancer Network of SA (PanCan), People Living With Cancer (PLWC), Pink Trees for Pauline, Pink Phoenix Cancer Foundation, Pocket Cancer Support, Project Flamingo, Rainbows and Smiles, Reach for Recovery, South African Oncology Social Work Forum (SAOSWF), The Pink Parasol Project, The Sunflower Fund, Vrede Foundation and Wings of Hope.
Read the TAC and MSF campaign pamphlet
