Re: [india-drug] Drug pricing: ..... (7)

["anita kotwani" <anitakotwani@msn.com>]

 Drug pricing: ..... (7)
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Dear all members,

I  have  copied a press release of Cipla that appeared on E-Drug. This
is  another  policy option (relaxation in patent law) to bring down prices of essential medicines
and make them affordable in developing/low-income countries. (Anita Kotwani)

   
   E-DRUG: CIPLA on 5 years Doha Declaration
   -----------------------------------------
   [Interesting views from a big generic company that was instrumental in
   bringing
   ARV prices down. WB]
   Press Release   6th November 2006
   FIFTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DOHA DECLARATION - 14TH NOVEMBER 2001
   The  Doha Declaration of 14th November 2001 was a historic event.  All
   the
   seven points formulated after a process of considerable diligence were
   mindful  of  the  public  health  problems faced by the developing and
   least
   developed countries of the world. Its focus included   HIV/AIDS, T.B.,
   Malaria  and other epidemics.  However, unfortunately, even five years
   later
   its provisions have not been implemented.
   The impact of non-implementation of the initial Doha Declaration will
   certainly  be  felt  throughout  the third world.  Cipla was the first
   company
   worldwide  in  2001,  to  radically  bring down the price of anti-AIDS
   triple
   combination  drugs from US$ 12,000 per patient per year to below US$ 1
   per
   day.  Over the past 5 years this has had a significant  impact on the
   treatment  of  HIV/AIDS.  As  of  today, approximately 1.3 million HIV
   positive
   patients   are  being  treated  by  anti-retroviral  drugs,  of  which
   approximately
   one  third  i.e. 400,000 are on Cipla's medications, the cost of which
   today
   is  well  below US$ 150 per patient per year for the first line triple
   drug
   regimentation.
   Cipla  strongly  believes  that  access  to medicines is a fundamental
   human
   right.  Cipla  has  consistently  articulated  this  belief at various
   public
   forums  in  the  past.  To  be  more  emphatic,   "What's  the  use of
   developing
   life-saving  medicines  if  you  can't  make  them  affordable  to the
   patient?"
   Currently,  Cipla  continues  to  make  available most of the HIV/AIDS
   drugs that
   were  invented  prior  to  the  WTO  Agreement  on  patents (1995), at
   affordable
   prices. However, patents are likely to prevent Cipla from producing
   affordable  versions  of  the  most  recent HIV drugs available in the
   world,
   such  as atazanavir, darunavir or tipranavir. Indeed, the WTO mandates
   that
   these  medicines  shall be patentable in every country. In effect this
   means
   that  Cipla  can  no  longer  develop  any generic versions of new and
   emerging
   medicines for a dreaded disease like HIV/AIDS.
   Thus,  five years after the Doha Declaration, the world has not upheld
   its
   promise  to  the  poor  and  diseased.  The  obstacles  posed  by  the
   globalization
   of patents is still blocking access to medicines at affordable prices.
   Worse,  whereas  the  Doha Declaration called for the WTO agreement on
   patents
   to  be  implemented  in  a manner conducive to access to medicines, in
   reality
   India was pressured last year into broadening the scope of patents and
   narrowing  the  scope  of  compulsory  licensing  -  well  beyond  its
   obligations
   under the TRIPS agreement.
   Cipla  recognizes  the  fact  that  intellectual  property  has  to be
   suitably
   rewarded,  but the third world countries including India cannot afford
   a
   monopoly  in  health  care.  It  is  imperative that the original Doha
   Declaration
   of 2001 be passed in its original form, with a clause of compulsory
   licensing of all valid patents for all essential drugs required in the
   third
   world  under  payment  of a nominal royalty to the originator.  Unless
   this is
   done,  newer  drugs developed for HIV such as the integrase inhibitors
   and
   newer protease inhibitors will never be freely available at equitable
   prices.  As a company that contributes towards making life better for
   everyone and follows a humanitarian approach to diseases prevalent,
   essentially  in the third world, Cipla would very much like to see the
   world
   take  a  positive  stand  and  urgently  implement  the  original Doha
   Declaration.
   CIPLA Corporate HQ
   India
   [1]corporate@cipla.com
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