On 14 March 2017, Checkpoint on eNCA aired a documentary exploring the access challenges faced by women in South Africa seeking trastuzumab – a WHO recommended essential medicine for HER2+ breast cancer. The documentary features the story of Tobeka Daki, in whose memory the Tobeka Daki Campaign for Access to Trastuzumab was launched. Watch the documentary […]
READ MORE
This letter was issued by the Tobeka Daki Campaign for Access to Trastuzumab to the Human Rights Council today – on International Women’s Day – as they convene a panel discussion on access to medicines in the context of the right to health. The letter can be accessed here. —— Dear High Commissioner Zeid Ra’ad […]
READ MORE
ACTIVISTS AROUND THE WORLD MARCH #ForTobeka – Demonstrations held at Roche & pharma associations in South Africa, Malaysia, UK, France, Zambia, Brazil, US – 108 organisations endorse a letter to Roche Tuesday, 7th February 2017 – Swiss multinational company Roche faced […]
READ MOREOn the heels of the statement by South Africa earlier this week on patents and health, the Fix the Patent Laws campaign is again very encouraged to see the second statement from the South African government, made on 14 December 2016. This time, a comprehensive account of South Africa’s experience related to access to medicines […]
READ MOREThe Fix the Patent Laws Campaign is heartened by the statement delivered yesterday, 13 December 2016, at the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) Standing Committee on the Law of Patents (SCP) during discussions on patents and health. We remind the South African government that it is crucial to turn these words into actions by reforming […]
READ MOREIt is with great sadness that the Fix the Patent Laws (FTPL) coalition shares news of Tobeka Daki’s death. Tobeka, was a single mother from Mdantsane in the Eastern Cape, a daughter, a friend, a woman living with HER2 positive breast cancer, a support group member and an advocate for equal and affordable access to […]
READ MOREThe Cancer Alliance is a national alliance of 18 cancer organisations in South Africa that undertake advocacy on issues related to cancer prevention, detection and treatment. The Cancer Alliance is committed to the achievement of equitable access to cancer treatment and services for all people living in South Africa. The Cancer Alliance is seeking a […]
READ MORE– 1000 activists march to DTI to demand urgent reform of outdated patent laws – Fix the Patent Laws campaign now comprises 31 patient groups – New medicine report shows how patents stop people accessing nine important medicines 27 September 2016 – PRETORIA: Today, more than 1000 activists from the Fix the Patent Laws campaign […]
READ MORE2 August 2016 – Cabinet recently approved a new Intellectual Property (IP) Consultative Framework for South Africa. This follows a Draft National IP Policy published for comment in 2013 – on which we and many other groups commented. The 2013 Draft National IP Policy committed to reforming South Africa’s patent law to address shortcomings that impede medicine […]
READ MOREThe Fix the Patent Laws coalition applauds the speech given by the South African Minister of Health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, today as he presented the budget for his Department to Parliament. We welcome his strong stance taken on the costs of cancer drugs, specifically trastuzumab (marketed as Herceptin), around which the Fix the Patent Laws […]
READ MORE