Patent Pool / Threats on Generic Drugs: Double-play Led by France Must Stop
Paris — At the July 17 launch of the world’s largest scientific conference on HIV/AIDS in Rome, Act Up-Paris denounces the double-play led by the French Presidency and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) pandering to major pharmaceutical companies. Act Up expresses grave concern about the future of the access to life-saving generic medicines for developing countries. Last Tuesday 12 July, the pharmaceutical company Gilead announced a deal with the UNITAID-sponsored Medicines Patent Pool. In a press statement, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the government was delighted at this agreement. However, the deal excludes 5 million people living with HIV. Meanwhile, the European Commission (E.C.), with the silent support of the President Sarkozy, MoFA, along with the French Ministries of Health, Economics and Finance, have been pushing trade policies (including free trade and so-called anti-counterfeiting agreements) that aim to block the fabrication and the export of generic drugs. Without low-cost medicine, global commitments to achieve Universal Access to treatment will not be reachable.
