Please sign on: Boycot Novartis India Campaign

[Guest guest]

Drug Action Forum - Karnataka, India - an independent, not for profit, NGO

campaigning for rational drugs has launched " Novartis Boycott " campaign.

So please sign the online Petition Against Novartis at

http://novartisboycott.org/petition

Each one of your signature counts. So please sign and express solidarity on this

extremely important issue.

Drug Action Forum - Karnataka had to take this stand as Novartis has filed fresh

case in the Chennai High Court, India (for details " The Hindu " , Date:10/08/2007

URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/08/10/stories/2007081056481400.htm).

Though Novartis lost the case on Section 3(d), Drug Action Forum - Karnataka

feels that if public opinion and pressure is not brought on the company, then

this single case that is currently in the court may have long term implications

on Access to Medicines topeople all over the world.

The background goes on like this. During the year 1998, Novartis had filed an

application, at the Chennai patent office seeking the grant of patents on its

drug Glivec. Novartis falsely claimed that the drug Glivec was an innovation.

And rightly the patent application of the Novartis was rejected, under section

3d of the Indian patent act, by the Indian patent office at Chennai in January

2006. Novartis did not accept the decision of the Chennai patent office, instead

challenged this decision of the Patent office in the Chennai high court.

In addition Novartis also challenged Section (3d) of the Indian patent act. If

they had won the case then the drug manufactured by Novartis would have cost

Rupees 1.2 lakh, while Indian drug companies manufacture, the very same drug,

for Rupees 8,000. The filing of these cases in the Chennai high court by

Novartis created a huge flutter and a media outcry all over the world. As both

these cases were rejected by the Chennai high court, it was rejoiced all over

the world. Novartis also made a statement that they are not going to Supreme

Court in India or approaching the WTO for dispute settlement. Thus it was

accepted by people all over the world, that it was a success.

But Novartis filed a case, not in the Supreme Court, but in the very same

Chennai high court, stating that the India Patent Appellate Body (IPAB) had

erred in dismissing its plea to exclude its Technical Member S. Chandrasekaran

from hearing its legal appeals. The case has been duly admitted in the court and

is likely to come for hearing on 10 th September, mean while till then all the

proceedings of the Appellate Body came to a grinding halt. The company claims

that by bringing in a member of the Body, who had earlier filed a case against

Novartis - he is already prejudiced – as he had earlier filed a petition on

behalf of the government against the company. So the company wants some body

else in place of this person, so that the prejudice is eliminated.

It is this case at Chennai High court, that has got stuck up that would

determine the lives of hundreds of millions of people all over the world.

Helpless and poor people all over the world are watching with intent eyes

towards these developments, as their very life hangs on these court decisions

that may even have long term policy implications. As this very case may decide

and change the way the Section 3 (d) of the Indian act is interpreted. This is

an act that shelves frivolous patents.

Because there are around 9,000 applications that are pending in the Patent

office, seeking grants of patents. And no wonder many of these applications

would be like the one that is not a real and genuine innovation. But just few

minute changes made in the drug – which is known as " ever greening " of patents,

thus wanting to be just rejected.

Even the scientist Druker, who was involved in discovering this drug has

come out openly against the company as he feels that the price at which Glivec

has been offered for sale by Novartis is cause for considerable discomfort.

http://boycottnovartis.blogspot.com/

_______________

What to boycott

3-FD (Anti-TB combination, INH + Rifampicin + Pyrazinamide)

4-D (Anti-TB combination, INH + Rifampicin + Pyrazinamide + Ethambutol)

Adelphane (Drug for high blood pressure; Reserpine + Dihydrallazine)

Adelphane / Esidrex (Drug for high blood pressure; Reserpine + Dihydrallazine +

Hydrocholothiazide)

Anafranil (Antidepressant; Clomipramine)

Angicor (Prophylaxis of angina and post myocardial infarction;

Isosorbide-5-Mononitrate)

Antrenyl and Antrenyl Duplex (Drug for peptic ulcer and colicky pain;

Oxyphenonium Br)

Aredia (Drug for bone disorders and high calcium levels; Pamidronate)

Aubril (Antimicrobial; Sulfadiazine + Trimethoprim)

Benace (Drug for high blood pressure; Benazepril)

Bradex-Vioform (Anti-infective skin cream; Quinodochlor + Tripelennamine +

Domiphen Br.)

Brinaldix (Oedema due to CCF, renal or hepatic failure; Clopamide)

Broadband (Antimicrobial; Gatifloxacin)

Calcium–Sandoz (For treating calcium deficiency; Cal glubionate)

Clearance (Eye drops; Naphazoline)

Cletus (Platelet aggregation inhibitor and vasodilator; Cilostazol)

Curam (Antimicrobial; Amoxicillin and Clavilonic acid)

Daskil (Antimicrobial; Terbinafine)

Desferal (Acute iron poisoning; Desferrioxamine)

Dibimet (Hypoglyceamic agent; Metformin in with combination with starch and

cellulose and others)

Diovan (Following M I in clinically stable patients with left ventricular

failure; Valsartan)

Ebutol (Anti TB; Ethambutol)

Epitril (Benzodiazepine for treating seizers etc; Clonazepam)

Exelon (Sysmptomatic treatment of severe Alzheimer’s dementia; Rivastigmine)

Foristal (Allergic conditions; Dimethindene maleate), Foristal Iontabs

Genteal (Eye lubricant; Boric acid, Hydroxyl propyl, KCL, NaCl, Methyl cellulose

and Sod perborate)

Glyred M (Hypoglyceamic agent; Metformin, Gliclazide, cellulose, starch and

others).

Hematrine (To treat anaemias; Ferrous suc, Succinic acid, Folic acid, Vit C,

B-12, Nicotinamide)

Hydergine (Ergot alkaloid for primary dementia; Dihydroergotoxine)

Hypotears plus (Eye lubricant; Boric acid, CaCl2, MgCl)

Leucomax (Acceleration of myeloid recovery following bone marrow transplant;

Molgramostim GM-CSF).

Liquidix SR (Mucolytic therapy in diseases of lungs; Ambroxol)

Lioresal (Spastic conditions of skeletal muscles; Baclofen)

Lopresor (Beta blocker; Metoprolol)

Lodiric (Anti-hyperuricaemic agent; Allopurinal)

Loromycin (Antimicrobial; Azithromycin)

Macalvit (Increased calcium demand like pregnancy; Cal

glucono-galacto-gluconate, Cal lactbionate, Vit B-12, D-3)

Methergin (Post partum and post abortal bleeding; Methylergometrine maleate)

Miacalcic (Established post menopausal osteoporosis; Salmon calcitonin)

Miacalcic (Established postmenopausal osteoporosis; Salmon calcitonin)

Millicortenol (Eczema, dermatitis etc; Dexamethasone) Millicorten-Vioform (Anti

bacterial and antimyocotic topical; Dexamethasone, Quiniodchl).

Nepresol (Anti-hypertension; Dihydrallazine sulphate)

Nitroderm TTS (Prevention of angina pectoris; nitroglycerine in transdermal

patch)

Nutrisan (Vitamin/mineral deficiency; Vit A, Vit D, B-1, B-2, Nicotinamide, B-6,

Folic acid, C, Vit B-12, Ferrous fum, Mang chl, Mag oxide, Cal gluconate, Zinc

oxide).

Nyolol (For treating glaucoma; Timolol)

Okacin (Eye preparation; Lomefloxacin)

Otrivin (Nasal decongestion; Xylometazoline)

PZA-Ciba (Anti-TB; Pyrazinamide)

Parlodel (For treating Parkinsonism, Galactorrhoea and others; Bromocriptine)

Regestrone (Synthetic progesterone; Norethisterone acetate)

Resource (Food product)

Rimactane (Anti-TB; Rifampicin)

Rimactazid-Z (Anti-TB combination; Rifampicin, Isoniazid, Pyrazinamide)

Rimastar 4FDC (Anti-TB combination; Ethambutal, INH, Pyrazinamide, Rifampicin)

Rimicure 3FDC (Anti-TB combination; Ethambutal, INH, Pyrazinamide, Rifampicin)

Rimmax 2FDC (Anti-TB combination; INH, Rifampicin)

Rimthree FDC (Anti-TB; Ethambutol, INH, Rifampicin)

Rotacor (Anti-hypercholesterlaemia; Atorvastatin)

Sandimmun Neoral (Prevention of graft rejections; Cyclosporine)

Sandocal (For treating vitamin D deficiency; Vit D3, Cal carbonate)

Sandostatin (Relief of symptoms associated with gastroenteric-pancreatic

endocrine tumors; Octreotide)

Santevini (Tonic; Thiamine mononit, Vit B-2, B-6, Niacinamide, Peptone, Cal

gluconate)

Secef (Antimicrobial; Cefixime)

Sclerace (Antihypertensive; Rampril)

Sirdalud (Spasticity, trauma, cerebral palsy and others; Tizanidine)

Sintamil (Tricyclic antidepressant; Nitroxazepine)

Spert (Protein supplement with vitamins and minerals)

Sulcef (Antimicrobial; Cefoperazone; Sulbactan)

Syntocinon (PPH and acceleration of labour; Oxytocin)

Taregyl tablets (Antihistamine; Clemastine)

Tavegyl syrup (Antihistamine; Clemastine)

Tegritol (For Trigeminal neuralgia; Carbamazepine)

Trioptal (Anti-epileptic; Oxcarbazepine)

Urclar (Antimicrobial; Clarithromycin)

Visken (For angina; Pindolol)

Voltaflam (Antinflammatory ;Diclofenac)

Voveran (Antinflammatory; Diclofenac)

Zetri (Antimicrobial; Ceftriaxone)

Zometa (For tumor induced hypercalcaemia; Zoledronic)

Gopal Dabade

e-mail: <drdabade@...>