October 20th, 2014—PRETORIA: Patients, doctors and members of civil society meet today with government experts to plot a course for quickly reforming South Africa’s patent laws, so that people can access the life-saving medicines they need at affordable prices. The National Summit on Intellectual Property (IP) and Access to Medicines in Pretoria was organised by […]
READ MOREThe South African Constitution guarantees the right to have access to healthcare services, and places a positive obligation upon the state to take measures that progressively realise that right. However, often people don’t have access to the medicines they need in South Africa because lifesaving drugs are priced out of reach, while cheaper generics are […]
READ MOREContext: Patents on medicines block generic competitors from entering the market, and allow patent holders to charge high prices as long as they maintain a sales monopoly. High prices can limit people and governments’ ability to afford the medicines they need. Companies often try to engage in patent “evergreening”—this means that after applying for an […]
READ MOREOn World Hepatitis Day, organisations call on SA government: protect infants with HepB jab at birth & reduce patent barriers to HepB therapies July 28, 2014, JOHANNESBURG—On World Hepatitis Day, 26 organisations and individuals from around the world have called on the South African Department of Health (DOH) and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) […]
READ MOREThis statement was originally published on the Knowledge Ecology International website by Thiru Balasubramaniam: On Friday, 23 May 2014, the World Health Assembly is currently discussing access to essential medicines in the context of resolution EB134.R16, tabled China in January 2014. The following statement was delivered by South Africa on behalf of the 47 members of […]
READ MOREFINALISE THE IP POLICY BEFORE ELECTIONS & GIVE US BETTER ACCCESS TO MEDICINES Activists demand rapid completion of intellectual property policy six years in the making; Without internationally recognised public health safeguards policy will be health disaster 2014/03/11, PRETORIA — Marching to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), Doctors […]
READ MOREMEDIA INVITE: PHOTO OPPORTUNITY FIX THE PATENT LAWS CAMPAIGN TUESDAY MARCH 11 – Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) offices, PRETORIA THURSDAY MARCH 13 – Parliament, CAPE TOWN Health activists to demand completion of South Africa’s Intellectual Property Policy outside DTI offices, Pretoria and Parliament, Cape Town. Over 2,500 health activists across the Western Cape […]
READ MORELotti Rutter from the Treatment Action Campaign responds to PhRMA opinion piece in BDLive on 26th February 2014 This Wednesday’s opinion piece – “Strong IP regime could boost FDI” – might have promised a simple solution for increasing foreign direct investment, but unfortunately the reality is much more complicated. Rather than strong intellectual property (IP) […]
READ MORE“The Economic & Social Case for Patent Law Reform in South Africa” Lotti Rutter and Catherine Tomlinson This updated research paper from the Treatment Action Campaign seeks to respond with reasoned analysis to a number of inaccurate claims that have been made by the pharmaceutical industry, particularly following the PharmaGate scandal. The evidence highlights how […]
READ MOREA shortened version of this article was originally published in the Financial Mail of January 24-29. By Marcus Low, Treatment Action Campaign. We are deeply perturbed by revelations in last Friday’s Mail & Guardian exposing what appears to be a very well-funded, covert plot by foreign pharmaceutical companies and their local subsidiaries to delay a […]
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