Big pharma tightens grip on medicines
Jay Fletcher
Trade agreements released over recent weeks contain provisions that
will increase the power of patents of transnational pharmaceutical
companies. This does not bode well for the poor.
Despite pledges at the recent Millennium Development Goals (MDG)
summit to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, there has been a
constant battle across the global South for access to vital
antiretroviral HIV/AIDS treatments and antibiotics for malaria and
tuberculosis (TB).
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Drugs rule the world |
Affordable medicines
One of the greatest challenges in accessing high-quality and
affordable medicines is the collusion between rich Governments and
pharmaceutical giants.
Expensive pharmaceutical HIV/AIDS antiretroviral drugs are patented.
Patents are monopolies over the contents, composition, development and
manufacture of any original medicine.
Trade agreements released over recent weeks contain huge provisions
to transnational pharmaceutical companies and increase the power of
patents, a trend that has been mirrored in Australia and the world over.
The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) was released on
November 15 and includes State members such as Australia, Canada, the
European Union, Japan, Switzerland and the US. It makes the unauthorized
development of drugs patented in those countries a criminal offence.
The effects will be felt worst in Third World countries like India,
whose generic drug market provides affordable medicines to many of the
poorest nations.
Medical humanitarian organization Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) buys
more than 80 percent of its AIDS medicines from India to treat more than
140,000 people in more than 60 countries.
It also buys 25 percent of its antibiotics and TB/Malaria medicines
to supply its clinics. MSF said ACTA was too broad and would hurt access
to medicines and open the door for abuse.
Open letter
In an open letter to the European Trade Commissioner on November 8,
MSF said, “Suppliers of active pharmaceutical ingredients, distributors,
retailers, NGOs such as MSF who provide treatment and funders who
support health programs will all be at risk of severe penalties,
including imprisonment. This will deter anyone involved in the
production, sale and distribution of affordable generic medicines.”
The Global Fund to fight HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria is one of
the only organizations committed and able to provide the global
financing needed to achieve this aim.
Third World
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