September 9, 2013
Health groups call for wide public consultation Johannesburg, 9 September – The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), Doctors Without Borders (MSF) and SECTION27 welcome the announcement that the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has called for public comment on the long-overdue draft National Policy on Intellectual Property (IP). The DTI has taken heed of calls […]
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August 14, 2013
The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) welcomes the approval by the US Food and Drug Administration of the antiretroviral medicine dolutegravir. This is a new integrase inhibitor (brand name Tivicay) that could potentially become a vital drug in the global struggle against HIV. TAC calls on all parties involved to ensure widespread availability of Dolutegravir in […]
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August 12, 2013
By Professor Brook K. Baker, Senior Policy Analyst Health GAP This analysis from Professor Baker is in response to the Memorandum issued by TAC and MSF last week and the subsequent news article published in Business Day Live on 8th August found here. — This is a very positive development, largely resulting from a national […]
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August 7, 2013
PRETORIA – The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) and Doctors Without Borders (MSF) today delivered a memorandum to the Department of Trade and Industry (dti) at the National Workshop on Intellectual Property and Public Health in Pretoria, outlining needed reforms to South Africa’s patent laws in order to expand access to more affordable drugs. The country’s […]
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This is a memorandum dated 7th August delivered to representatives from the Department for Trade and Industry, including Minister Rob Davies, ahead of a workshop in coordination with the WTO, WHO, WIPO calling on the DTI to urgently “Fix the Patent Laws” to improve South Africans’ access to medicines. You can access the original memorandum here. The […]
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July 24, 2013
This article was originally published by eNCA on 23rd July 2013 and can be accessed here. A further interview with MSF Access Campaign Advocacy Officer Julia Hill can also be found there. CAPE TOWN – The country’s patent laws are costing ill people dearly. South Africans are denied access to affordable medication because drug companies […]
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This is an open letter dated 23rd July from the Treatment Action Campaign sent to USTR Ambassador Michael Froman outlining our concerns with mounting US pressure aiming to restrict India’s generic medicines industry. You can find the original letter here. Dear Ambassador Froman, The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) of South Africa is extremely concerned […]
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July 6, 2013
This article was originally published by GroundUp on 3 July 2013. The original article can be accessed here By Marcus Low On 22 June a treaty for the blind was heading for disaster as negotiators stalled and refused to budge on hardline positions. Three days later a negotiator stepped out of a boardroom in the […]
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June 21, 2013
TAC’s Marcus Low is currently participating in the Marrakesh Diplomatic Conference to conclude a WIPO Treaty to facilitate access to published works by visually impaired persons and persons with print disabilities. The Diplomatic Conference is currently (17 – 28 June) taking place in Marrakesh, Morocco. See below Marcus’s opening statement made on 19 June. Marcus […]
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April 30, 2013
On 24 April 2013, Minister of Trade and Industry Rob Davies stated that South Africa’s new intellectual property (IP) policy would not be released for public comment any time soon. This starkly contrasts with a number of promises in the past two years, by both the Minister and officials in the Department of Trade and […]
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Globally people are suffering and dying needlessly because governments are unable to afford to buy medicines to save their lives. It is time to Fix the Patent Laws to save our lives!
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DTI’s draft IP policy lays foundation to prevent abusive patenting
Health groups call for wide public consultation Johannesburg, 9 September – The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), Doctors Without Borders (MSF) and SECTION27 welcome the announcement that the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has called for public comment on the long-overdue draft National Policy on Intellectual Property (IP). The DTI has taken heed of calls […]
READ MORETAC welcomes the approval of dolutegravir in the US and calls for action to ensure global access
The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) welcomes the approval by the US Food and Drug Administration of the antiretroviral medicine dolutegravir. This is a new integrase inhibitor (brand name Tivicay) that could potentially become a vital drug in the global struggle against HIV. TAC calls on all parties involved to ensure widespread availability of Dolutegravir in […]
READ MORESouth African IP policy approved by Cabinet for public consultation
By Professor Brook K. Baker, Senior Policy Analyst Health GAP This analysis from Professor Baker is in response to the Memorandum issued by TAC and MSF last week and the subsequent news article published in Business Day Live on 8th August found here. — This is a very positive development, largely resulting from a national […]
READ MORESA’s Dept of Trade & Industry delay patent law reform, while local drug prices remain excessive
PRETORIA – The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) and Doctors Without Borders (MSF) today delivered a memorandum to the Department of Trade and Industry (dti) at the National Workshop on Intellectual Property and Public Health in Pretoria, outlining needed reforms to South Africa’s patent laws in order to expand access to more affordable drugs. The country’s […]
READ MORETAC & MSF Memorandum to DTI to urgently Fix the Patent Laws
This is a memorandum dated 7th August delivered to representatives from the Department for Trade and Industry, including Minister Rob Davies, ahead of a workshop in coordination with the WTO, WHO, WIPO calling on the DTI to urgently “Fix the Patent Laws” to improve South Africans’ access to medicines. You can access the original memorandum here. The […]
READ MORESA drug patent laws cost lives
This article was originally published by eNCA on 23rd July 2013 and can be accessed here. A further interview with MSF Access Campaign Advocacy Officer Julia Hill can also be found there. CAPE TOWN – The country’s patent laws are costing ill people dearly. South Africans are denied access to affordable medication because drug companies […]
READ MORETAC open letter to USTR regarding concerns with US pressure to restrict India’s generic medicine industry
This is an open letter dated 23rd July from the Treatment Action Campaign sent to USTR Ambassador Michael Froman outlining our concerns with mounting US pressure aiming to restrict India’s generic medicines industry. You can find the original letter here. Dear Ambassador Froman, The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) of South Africa is extremely concerned […]
READ MOREDancing and tears greet book treaty for blind
This article was originally published by GroundUp on 3 July 2013. The original article can be accessed here By Marcus Low On 22 June a treaty for the blind was heading for disaster as negotiators stalled and refused to budge on hardline positions. Three days later a negotiator stepped out of a boardroom in the […]
READ MOREOpening statement by TAC’s Marcus Low at Marrakesh Diplomatic Conference
TAC’s Marcus Low is currently participating in the Marrakesh Diplomatic Conference to conclude a WIPO Treaty to facilitate access to published works by visually impaired persons and persons with print disabilities. The Diplomatic Conference is currently (17 – 28 June) taking place in Marrakesh, Morocco. See below Marcus’s opening statement made on 19 June. Marcus […]
READ MOREDTI reneges on IP policy commitments
On 24 April 2013, Minister of Trade and Industry Rob Davies stated that South Africa’s new intellectual property (IP) policy would not be released for public comment any time soon. This starkly contrasts with a number of promises in the past two years, by both the Minister and officials in the Department of Trade and […]
READ MORE