For months now, activists around the world have been expressing their deep concerns about the impact of India-European Union Free Trade Agreements (FTA). The EU is pushing for harmful provisions to be included in the trade agreement that will hinder access to quality, affordable generic medicines produced in India. Affordable medicines produced in India have played a major role in scaling up AIDS treatment to more than five million people across Asia, Africa and Latin America. In these regions, India is the primary source for life-saving medicines.
India and the people it provides medicine to are now under the direct threat from the demands of the EU. Of particular concern are the following provisions: data exclusivity, investment rules and enforcement measures such as border controls, injunctions and third party liability. Should they be passed, it makes no doubt that they will seriously undermine India’s ability to manufacture and to supply generic drugs ARVs.
Should these provisions be included in the final version of the agreement, India would lose his leadership role in policy making amongst developing countries. People living with HIV / AIDS, Cancer and Hepatitis around in Asia, Africa, and South America will lose access to affordable medicines that save their lives. They will irreparably be sentenced to death. The fact that India does now grant patents on medicines is already having a chilling effect on generic production. Several newer medicines to treat Cancer and hepatitis-C have already been patented in India and affordable generic versions cannot be produced for several years to come.
We have not been able to get generic versions of treatment for hepatitis-C in India as it is all ready patented and that affects people who live with hepatitis, many people who use drugs (PUDs) current and former users are living with co-infection (HIV and hepatitis-C) and many them are death and are dying, just because we cannot simply cannot afford it patented drugs. I don’t know any one of us (People Who Use Drugs) who can afford the Rs.7 lakhs (over US $15,000) it costs in India for the full treatment For all these reason, I urge the Indian Government not to accept any measures that would affect the access to medicines in the Free Trade Agreements under their consideration.
India and the people it provides medicine to are now under the direct threat from the demands of the EU. Of particular concern are the following provisions: data exclusivity, investment rules and enforcement measures such as border controls, injunctions and third party liability. Should they be passed, it makes no doubt that they will seriously undermine India’s ability to manufacture and to supply generic drugs ARVs.
Should these provisions be included in the final version of the agreement, India would lose his leadership role in policy making amongst developing countries. People living with HIV / AIDS, Cancer and Hepatitis around in Asia, Africa, and South America will lose access to affordable medicines that save their lives. They will irreparably be sentenced to death. The fact that India does now grant patents on medicines is already having a chilling effect on generic production. Several newer medicines to treat Cancer and hepatitis-C have already been patented in India and affordable generic versions cannot be produced for several years to come.
We have not been able to get generic versions of treatment for hepatitis-C in India as it is all ready patented and that affects people who live with hepatitis, many people who use drugs (PUDs) current and former users are living with co-infection (HIV and hepatitis-C) and many them are death and are dying, just because we cannot simply cannot afford it patented drugs. I don’t know any one of us (People Who Use Drugs) who can afford the Rs.7 lakhs (over US $15,000) it costs in India for the full treatment For all these reason, I urge the Indian Government not to accept any measures that would affect the access to medicines in the Free Trade Agreements under their consideration.
Sincerely,
Abou Mere
President Indian Drug Users Forum &
Director, Kripa Foundation Nagaland
