April 28, 2016
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 […]
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March 31, 2016
THURSDAY 31st MARCH 2015, JOHANNESBURG – Today, members of the Fix the Patent Laws campaign, including Advocates for Breast Cancer, the Cancer Alliance, the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA), Doctors without Borders, People Living with Cancer, SECTION27, the South African Non-Communicable Diseases Alliance, the Treatment Action Campaign, and Wings of Hope are picketing outside pharmaceutical […]
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February 3, 2016
3 February 2016 – Leading up to World Cancer Day (4 February 2016), the Fix the Patent Laws coalition released a short video highlighting how shortcomings in South Africa’s patent laws contribute to barriers to access for critical breast cancer medicine trastuzumab. The Fix the Patent Laws coalition is a coalition of 18 patient groups, including […]
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December 7, 2015
On 23 November 2015, the Fix the Patent Laws coalition sent a letter to Members of Parliament considering the ratification of the December 6 Decision on Doha on TRIPS. In the letter the coalition noted that they supported the ratification of the December 6 Decision by South Africa – but noted that “While the FTPL […]
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November 5, 2015
In response to the letter sent to Minister Davies from the Fix the Patent Laws coalition, Minister Davies sent a letter to the coalition recommitting to the adoption of TRIPS safeguards to protect health but noting ongoing delays. The coalition welcomed Minister Davies confirmation that the DTI remains committed to the adoption of TRIPS safeguards […]
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October 29, 2015
29 October 2015 Cape Town/ Johannesburg – The Fix the Patent Laws (FTPL) Campaign, today called on the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to end years of pharmaceutical company price gouging and broken promises for patent law reform and produce a final intellectual property (IP) policy and bill to amend the Patents Act. The […]
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See brief timeline at: FTPL timeline web infographic April 1994: The Bill of Rights comes into force in South Africa outlining the new democratic government’s constitutional obligations. The Bill of Rights states that “the state must take reasonable legislative and other measures, within its available resources, to achieve the progressive realisation of [the right to […]
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29 October 2015 Dear Honourable Minister Davies RE: Request for urgent update on the status of the IP Policy and introduction of a bill to fully incorporate TRIPS safeguards to protect health into the Patents Act 57 of 1978 October 2015 marks the two year anniversary of the close of the public comment period on […]
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This statement was originally published on 26 October 2015 at https://www.msf.org.za/msf-publications/south-africa-should-override-patent-on-key-hiv-medicine-after-widespread-stock-out Patients sent home without drugs while pharmaceutical company AbbVie refuses to license patent to generic companies Johannesburg — After six months of persistent supply problems with the key HIV medicine lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r), the international medical humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders (MSF) urged the South […]
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October 23, 2015
17 September 2015 The Copyright Amendment Bill 2015[1] was recently referred to parliament for review, following its approval by Cabinet. The Bill was drafted by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to reform the Copyright Act 98 of 1978[2]. The Copyright Act governs the protection of copyright which – like patents – is a […]
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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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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 […]
READ MOREActivists demand Roche drops cost of vital breast cancer medicine
THURSDAY 31st MARCH 2015, JOHANNESBURG – Today, members of the Fix the Patent Laws campaign, including Advocates for Breast Cancer, the Cancer Alliance, the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA), Doctors without Borders, People Living with Cancer, SECTION27, the South African Non-Communicable Diseases Alliance, the Treatment Action Campaign, and Wings of Hope are picketing outside pharmaceutical […]
READ MOREProblematic patent laws block access to critical breast cancer medicine
3 February 2016 – Leading up to World Cancer Day (4 February 2016), the Fix the Patent Laws coalition released a short video highlighting how shortcomings in South Africa’s patent laws contribute to barriers to access for critical breast cancer medicine trastuzumab. The Fix the Patent Laws coalition is a coalition of 18 patient groups, including […]
READ MOREFTPL support ratification of December 6 Decision but reiterate need for urgent reform of national laws
On 23 November 2015, the Fix the Patent Laws coalition sent a letter to Members of Parliament considering the ratification of the December 6 Decision on Doha on TRIPS. In the letter the coalition noted that they supported the ratification of the December 6 Decision by South Africa – but noted that “While the FTPL […]
READ MOREMinister Davies responds to the Fix the Patent Laws coalition
In response to the letter sent to Minister Davies from the Fix the Patent Laws coalition, Minister Davies sent a letter to the coalition recommitting to the adoption of TRIPS safeguards to protect health but noting ongoing delays. The coalition welcomed Minister Davies confirmation that the DTI remains committed to the adoption of TRIPS safeguards […]
READ MOREStalled policy will cost lives: Patient groups appeal to Minister Davies
29 October 2015 Cape Town/ Johannesburg – The Fix the Patent Laws (FTPL) Campaign, today called on the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to end years of pharmaceutical company price gouging and broken promises for patent law reform and produce a final intellectual property (IP) policy and bill to amend the Patents Act. The […]
READ MOREA Timeline of Intellectual Property Reform in South Africa 1994 – 2015
See brief timeline at: FTPL timeline web infographic April 1994: The Bill of Rights comes into force in South Africa outlining the new democratic government’s constitutional obligations. The Bill of Rights states that “the state must take reasonable legislative and other measures, within its available resources, to achieve the progressive realisation of [the right to […]
READ MOREOpen letter to Minister Davies calling for urgent action to adopt TRIPS safeguards into law
29 October 2015 Dear Honourable Minister Davies RE: Request for urgent update on the status of the IP Policy and introduction of a bill to fully incorporate TRIPS safeguards to protect health into the Patents Act 57 of 1978 October 2015 marks the two year anniversary of the close of the public comment period on […]
READ MOREDoctors Without Borders calls for SA to override patent on key HIV medicine after widespread stock out problem
This statement was originally published on 26 October 2015 at https://www.msf.org.za/msf-publications/south-africa-should-override-patent-on-key-hiv-medicine-after-widespread-stock-out Patients sent home without drugs while pharmaceutical company AbbVie refuses to license patent to generic companies Johannesburg — After six months of persistent supply problems with the key HIV medicine lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r), the international medical humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders (MSF) urged the South […]
READ MOREFTPL coalition members make submissions on Copyright Amendment Bill
17 September 2015 The Copyright Amendment Bill 2015[1] was recently referred to parliament for review, following its approval by Cabinet. The Bill was drafted by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to reform the Copyright Act 98 of 1978[2]. The Copyright Act governs the protection of copyright which – like patents – is a […]
READ MORE