Action: People Before Patents: The Lives of Millions Are at Stake

[Guest guest]

Pharmaceutical company Novartis is taking the Indian government to court.

If the company wins, millions of people across the globe could have their

sources of affordable medicines dry up.

Novartis was one of the 39 companies that took the South African

government to court five years ago, in an effort to overturn the country's

medicines act that was designed to bring drug prices down. Now Novartis is up to

it again and is targeting India.

India produces affordable medicines that are vital to many people living in

developing countries. Over half the medicines currently used for AIDS treatment

in developing countries come from India and such medicines are used to treat

over 80% of the 80,000 AIDS patients in Medecins Sans Frontieres projects.

If Novartis is successful in its challenge against the Indian government and its

patent law, more medicines are likely to be patented in India, making it very

difficult for generic producers to make affordable versions of them. This could

affect millions of people around the world who depend on medicines produced in

India.

Tell Novartis it has no business standing in the way of people's right to access

the medicines they need. Sign on and urge Novartis to DROP THE CASE against the

Indian government.

To sign the petition, click here:

http://www.msf.org/petition_india/international.html

________________

Jean-Marc s

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)

Brussels

+32 2 474 7487 (direct)

+32 499 25 85 62 (mobile)

e-mail: <Jean-Marc.JACOBS@...>