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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On 18 October, Foreign Affairs featured a profile on the Fix the Patent Laws campaign authored by Fran Quigley. Below is an excerpt from the article: Back in Johannesburg, Mary-Jane Matsolo is wrapping up the training. It has been a whirlwind tour through the TRIPS agreement, South Africa’s problems, and the legal models in India. “Are we […]
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August 13, 2015
Johannesburg/New York, August 13, 2015: A submission to the United States Government shows South Africa is facing pressure from the pharmaceutical industry to backtrack on intellectual property (IP) law reform that aims to improve access to medicines in exchange for eligibility for ongoing inclusion in the United States’ African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). The […]
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August 5, 2015
This editorial was originally published in the Business Day on 4 August 2015. The original editorial can be accessed at: http://www.bdlive.co.za/opinion/2015/08/04/patents-threaten-access-to-vital-medicine ONE of the cornerstones of an effective intellectual property (IP) system is the examination of patent applications. After all, before approving an application, the “invention” in question must meet the legal criteria for what […]
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July 30, 2015
Copyright Amendment Bill, 2015 On 28 July 2015, Parliament published the Copyright Amendment Bill for public comment. The Bill, which will amend the Copyright Act 98 of 1978, can be found online here. Submissions on the Bill can be emailed to Meshendri Padayachy at MPadayachy@thdti.gov.za until Thursday, 27 August 2015. Following detailed review of the Bill, the Fix the […]
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July 13, 2015
This statement was originally released on 6 July 2015 The Justice and Peace Commission for the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) has raised serious concerns about patent laws in South Africa that severely diminish the financial capacity of the health department to purchase new and more effective drugs for the public health care. Says […]
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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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Stalled 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 MOREFix the Patent Laws Campaign featured in Foreign Affairs
On 18 October, Foreign Affairs featured a profile on the Fix the Patent Laws campaign authored by Fran Quigley. Below is an excerpt from the article: Back in Johannesburg, Mary-Jane Matsolo is wrapping up the training. It has been a whirlwind tour through the TRIPS agreement, South Africa’s problems, and the legal models in India. “Are we […]
READ MOREDON’T TRADE AWAY OUR HEALTH – PHARMA ATTEMPTS TO UNDERMINE SOUTH AFRICAN PATENT LAW REFORM & ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE MEDICINES
Johannesburg/New York, August 13, 2015: A submission to the United States Government shows South Africa is facing pressure from the pharmaceutical industry to backtrack on intellectual property (IP) law reform that aims to improve access to medicines in exchange for eligibility for ongoing inclusion in the United States’ African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). The […]
READ MOREBusiness Day Editorial: Patents threaten access to vital medicine
This editorial was originally published in the Business Day on 4 August 2015. The original editorial can be accessed at: http://www.bdlive.co.za/opinion/2015/08/04/patents-threaten-access-to-vital-medicine ONE of the cornerstones of an effective intellectual property (IP) system is the examination of patent applications. After all, before approving an application, the “invention” in question must meet the legal criteria for what […]
READ MOREParliament publishes Copyright Amendment Bill and revised Protection and Promotion of Investment Bill
Copyright Amendment Bill, 2015 On 28 July 2015, Parliament published the Copyright Amendment Bill for public comment. The Bill, which will amend the Copyright Act 98 of 1978, can be found online here. Submissions on the Bill can be emailed to Meshendri Padayachy at MPadayachy@thdti.gov.za until Thursday, 27 August 2015. Following detailed review of the Bill, the Fix the […]
READ MORECatholic bishops in South Africa join the campaign for affordable medicine for the poor
This statement was originally released on 6 July 2015 The Justice and Peace Commission for the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) has raised serious concerns about patent laws in South Africa that severely diminish the financial capacity of the health department to purchase new and more effective drugs for the public health care. Says […]
READ MORE