Protest in Washington regarding NOVARTIS' Lawsuit Against INDIAN law

[Guest guest]

Stop HIV/AIDS in India Initiative . Health GAP . Student Global AIDS Campaign .

Global AIDS Alliance

NOVARTIS' INDIA PATENT LAWSUIT COULD THREATEN ACCESS TO LIFESAVING

MEDICINES. AIDS ACTIVISTS PRESENT " GOLDEN COFFIN " AWARD TO NOVARTIS CEO

(Washington D.C.) AIDS activists presented a " Golden Coffin " award endorsed by

civil society groups from around the world to representatives of Novartis, a

pharmaceutical company suing the Indian government. Novartis' lawsuit was

triggered by India's decision not to grant a patent to Novartis on a medicine

for life threatening cancer, imatinib mesylate (trade name Gleevec). Groups

from around the world are calling on Novartis to drop this court case; the most

recent hearing of the case began in India at the Chennai High Court January 29,

2007.

The implications of the case are much broader than one drug or one

ondition; India's ability to manufacture low cost generic versions of

newer medicines will be threatened if Novartis prevails in this case,

according to the activists. Generic Indian antiretrovirals are used for about

half of all HIV treatment in poor countries. " People with HIV around the world

depend on India for generic equivalents of antiretrovirals, " said Asia

of Health GAP. " Novartis' wrongheaded court case in India could jeopardize

sustainable access for countless numbers of poor people, particularly in sub

Saharan Africa,where imported generic medicines are saving lives. "

India changed its Patents Act in 2005 to meet its obligations as a

member of the World Trade Organization, and began granting patents for

pharmaceuticals. But the government defined the scope of patentability in India

so as to ensure that medicines that were not innovative, were not granted

patents. " Novartis is pressuring India to eliminate a perfectly legal public

health safeguard. If Novartis succeeds, drug prices will rise, and people will

suffer greatly, " said Vineeta Gupta of SHAII (Stop HIV/AIDS in India

initiative). " Novartis should be ashamed. "

" The greed and indifference of [Novartis CEO] Vasella is

astonishing, " said Matt Kavanagh of Student Global AIDS Campaign.

" India should be congratulated for prioritizing public health and

access to medicines--not slapped with a court case. "

Contact for more information:

Vineeta Gupta (202) 538- 1069 / guptahr@...

Asia (267) 475-2645/asia@...

Bryden (202) 549-3664/dbryden@...

Matt Kavanagh (202) 486-2488/mkavanagh@...

Vineeta Gupta MD, JD, LL.M

Director, Stop HIV/AIDS in India Initiative

Phone 202-789-0432 Ext 207

www.shaii.org

e-mail: <guptahr@...>