What does a court case in India have to do with ending AIDS? Everything.

March 26, 2012

India is known as the " pharmacy of the developing world " – thanks to unique

pieces of Indian patent law, the country is home to a powerhouse generic

medicines industry that produces everything from antiretrovirals to cancer

treatments at prices that poor countries can afford. Over 80% of AIDS drugs used

in developing countries come from India.

But the pharmaceutical company Novartis is trying to stop that. Will you join

Health GAP, SumOfUs.org, and people with HIV around the world calling on

Novartis to drop their court case?

Several years ago, India denied a patent for Novartis' cancer treatment,

Gleevec. The drug wasn't novel enough, the Indian government said – and

companies shouldn't be given patent protection for medicines that are just tiny

changes of previously-known chemicals. If they did, Big Pharma would hold onto

patents forever (a process called " evergreening " ), keeping prices high and

life-saving treatments out of the hands of patients in need. When the patent was

denied in 2006, Novartis launched a series of court cases that still haven't

been resolved. But this week, the Indian Supreme Court is expected to make final

rulings on the Novartis case. Sign the petition to urge them to protect access

to medicines.

If Novartis wins their case, a precedent will be set that could drastically

limit India's ability to produce low-cost medicines, including antiretroviral

drugs. We learned last year that we can end the AIDS pandemic through universal

treatment, but if the drugs go up in price, we won't be able to save as many

lives or prevent as many new infections.

Access to medicines is under attack. Through free trade agreements, trade

sanctions, and court cases like this one, Big Pharma is trying to increase their

profits by ignoring the needs of people with treatable illnesses. Stand up for

the right to health by signing this petition.

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