October 23, 2013
On 17th October, the Working Group on Intellectual Property of the Brazilian Network for the Integration of Peoples (GTPI/REBRIP, acronym in Portuguese), coordinated by the Brazilian Interdisciplinary AIDS Association (ABIA, acronym in Portuguese), made a submission of recommendations to the South African Department of Trade and Industry on the Draft National Policy on IP. The […]
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This speech was made by former XDR-TB patient Phumeza Tisile, from Khayelitsha, on October 17 in Pretoria at both a press conference and a rally organised by the Fix the Patent Laws campaign. “My experience with TB was rather a very long journey. Firstly, I was late diagnosed. Secondly, I was given the wrong medication for […]
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By Marcus Low, Treatment Action Campaign Thousands of people in South Africa have drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB). Many of them will die slow, horrible deaths. Many of those who live will struggle with severe side effects during the up to two years of daily pills and injections. Some, like 23-year old Phumeza who spoke at our […]
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October 17, 2013
Health activists hand-over comments on Draft Policy to Dept. of Trade & Industry, supporting patent law reform PRETORIA, 17 October – Marching in support of government-proposed patent law reforms, Doctors Without Borders (MSF), the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), and SECTION27 today handed their submission commenting on the Draft National Policy on Intellectual Property, 2013 to […]
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Over 130 organisations and experts globally have called on the South African Department of Trade and Industry to Fix the Patent Law in an open letter delivered this morning. You can find a PDF of the open letter here. The Fix the Patent Law campaign thanks all signatories for their support for improving access to […]
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Today the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), and SECTION27 handed in a submission to the Department of Trade and Industry in Pretoria, in response to the draft National Policy on Intellectual Property, 2013. Having worked for many years to limit the negative impact of intellectual property (IP) on public health, most recently […]
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October 16, 2013
As the public consultation on the Department of Trade and Industry’s Draft National Policy on Intellectual Property moves into its final few days there has been a wave of support from organisations, academics and experts across the globe. As it stands over 50 international organisations, […]
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October 10, 2013
On September 4, 2013, the South African Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) published the Draft National Policy on Intellectual Property, 2013, for public comment. This draft policy is an important first step toward reforming the country’s patent laws to better ensure access to affordable medicines. Amendments to intellectual property systems may occur at a […]
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As the Fix the Patent Laws campaign gains traction and South Africa moves closer towards the kind of intellectual property reform that will vastly improve access to affordable medicines, a number of claims are being publicised by the pharmaceutical industry and their allies seeking to protect their business interests. The purpose of this myth-buster is […]
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October 9, 2013
South African delegation to Brazil get vital opportunity to learn from counterparts as South Africa patent reform process gathers pace October 9th 2013: Doctors Without Borders (MSF) and the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) congratulate the Brazilian government on taking bold steps to […]
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