[e-med] Inde: brevet sur les ARV (suite)

["remed" <c.bruneton@remed.org>]

Résumé de l'article ci-dessous par CR :
Cet article émane de MSF à Genève.
L'Inde est engagée dans le processus de reconnaissance des brevets. Elle a
déjà reconnu un vaccin contre l'hépatite C de Roche, premier produit à
bénéficier de cette protection. Bien sûr la liste d'attente est longue, mais
les Indiens s'inquiètent de l'avenir qui sera réservé à Combivir de Glaxo
SmithKline, sachant que GSK a déposé une demande de brevet pour ce produit
en Inde.
On craint notamment que le prix ne s'en ressente si le brevet était accordé,
mettant en danger des millions de vie de malades qui ne pourraient plus
obtenir Combivir. MSF a déjà déclaré que si l'Inde reconnaissait ce brevet,
ce serait un précédent qui pourrait gêner l'accès aux médicaments essentiels
dans beaucoup de pays. Des groupes d'activistes ont déjà montré leur
opposition à cette mesure (voir un autre message du même jour sur ce sujet).
On pense que des produits actuellement fabriqués en génériques pourraient
avoir à payer des royalties si le brevet était accordé, ce qui entraînerait
une augmentation du prix. or on sait l'importance d'avoir pu obtenir des
génériques des ARV dans la lutte contre le SIDA.

----- Original Message ----- 

To: Ip-health@lists.essential.org
From: Sheila.SHETTLE@geneva.msf.org
Date: Mon, 3 Apr 2006 14:09:48 +0200
Subject: [Ip-health] AFP: Indian patent for AIDS drugs would harm millions:
medical group

Agence France Presse
March 30, 2006 Thursday

Indian patent for AIDS drugs would harm millions: medical group

Tripti Lahiri

NEW DELHI, March 30 2006
An application for an anti-AIDS treatment under India's new patent rules
could push cheap drugs out of the reach of millions, medical aid group
Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) warned Thursday.

Until last year, India did not recognize medical patents, leaving its
pharmaceutical industry free to copy and sell foreign medicines, including
cheap versions of AIDS drug cocktails known as anti-retrovirals.

Three weeks ago Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche was granted the first
patent for a Hepatitis C treatment after a new law was brought in last
year, which allows property rights of 20 years on all new medications.

India is now dealing with a backlog of drug applications, including one by
British-based GlaxoSmithKline for anti-AIDS treatment Combivir.

"If India grants a patent on this AIDS drug, it will set a precedent that
will hamper access to affordable AIDS medicines worldwide," MSF said in a
statement received here.

Indian rights groups have submitted papers opposing the application, saying
that Combivir is not a new invention but rather a combination of two drugs
already in use.

If the application is granted, companies that have been producing a generic
version of the drug combination can continue to do so, but they will have
to pay a royalty, forcing them to raise prices, they argue.

Companies not already producing a generic version of the anti-AIDS drug
cocktail would not be able to do so until the patent expires 20 years
later.

"Affordable generic AIDS medicines have been one of the cornerstones of our
ability to keep more people alive, including here in India," said Pehrolev
Pehrson, head of the MSF AIDS project in northeastern Manipur state.

Of the more than 60,000 people that MSF treats with generic AIDS medicines,
at least 50,000 are taking drugs made in India.

"Without a reliable supply of low-cost AIDS drugs -- made possible because
medicine patents did not exist in India for many years -- national
governments and treatment providers will be faced with an uphill battle,"
Pehrson added.

GlaxoSmithKline originally filed for a patent in 1997, for consideration
when India eventually recognized medical patents in line with World Trade
Organization rules.

Several other key medicines are awaiting patent under the new act,
including Roche's Tamiflu, known generically as oseltamivir, which is used
in the treatment of bird flu.

Global AIDS activist groups had expressed their dismay over India's new
rules when they were brought in early last year.

India is the world's third-biggest producer and prime exporter of generic
drugs, which are cheaper than drugs sold under patent.

+++++++++++++++++++++
Sheila Shettle
Communications Officer
M=E9decins Sans Fronti=E8res
Campaign for Access to Essential Medicines
Rue de Lausanne 78
1211 Geneva
Switzerland
+ 41.22.849.8403
sheila.shettle@geneva.msf.org
www.accessmed-msf.org