Statement by South Africa on its experiences related to access to medicines
On 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 […]
Statement by South Africa on Patents and Health
The 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 […]
New IP consultative framework for SA: three years’ delay is three too many
2 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 […]
SA government takes promising stand on patents
But public remains in the dark regarding stalled policy process The Fix the Patent Laws (FTPL) coalition welcomes recent public comments made by Minister of Trade and Industry Rob Davies and Minister of Health Dr Aaron Motsoaledi about patents and patent law in South Africa and in other developing countries. Earlier this month Minister Davies […]
South Africa’s Statement on Access to Essential Medicines at WHA
This 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 […]
MINISTER ROB DAVIES – OUR LIVES ARE IN YOUR HANDS!
FINALISE 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 […]
Responding to PhRMA lies in the South African media
Lotti 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) […]
TAC paper responds to inaccurate industry claims following the pharmagate scandal
“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 […]
Pharmagate and the economics of patent law reform
A 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 […]
Statement of South Africa on Access to Essential Medicines (in the wake of Pharmagate)
This statement was originally published on the Knowledge Ecology International website by Thiru Balasubramaniam: On Thursday, 23 January 2014, Malebona Precious Matsoso (Director General of the South African National Department of Health) delivered the the following intervention at the 134th session of the World Health Organization’s Executive Board under agenda item 9.7 on Access to essential […]
« go back — keep looking »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
