43 health workers arrested in the Philippines
Saturday February 6 a training seminar of the Council for Health and Development in the municipality of Morong, Rizal province, was raided by a group of about 300 military and police. All 43 training participants were arrested and brought to Camp Capinpin in the same province. Human rights and health organizations denounce the illegal arrest and detention of these 43 doctors and health workers and urge the Philippine government to ensure their safety and their immediate release.
Novartis threatens Indian generic drug industry
Novartis, a Swiss Multinational pharmaceutical company operating in India, has been involved in challenging the laws of our country through two petitions filed in the Chennai High Court. Clearly, the challenges posed by Novartis to the Indian law constitute an attempt to profiteer at the expense of tens of thousands of poor and sick patients. It is also an attempt to open the floodgates for other drug companies so that they to can apply for trivial patents. The consequences will not be limited just to India. Today India is known globally as the Pharmacy of the Third World, because Indian companies export cheaper versions of patented drugs to over 150 countries.
PHM Letter to UNITAID Board on Patent Pool Plan
We understand that the UNITAID’s Executive Board is to meet on 14-15th December to finalise the Patent Pool implementation plan.
We are writing to you on behalf of the Peoples Health Movement – the largest global network of Civil Society Organisations working on health and access to health care, with a presence in over 80 countries across the globe. We wish to present to you some concerns regarding the Implementation Plan for the UNITAID Patent Pool.
