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Europe opens new front against affordable medicines in trade deal with India
7-Apr-2011 MSF
As free trade agreement talks between Europe and India resume in Brussels today, the international medical humanitarian organisation Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is deeply concerned about new measures Europe is pushing to restrict the production of affordable generic medicines that MSF and others rely on to treat patients across the developing world.
No data sharing on drugs of pharma cos in FTAs: Sharma
29-Mar-2011
India today ruled out sharing test data of drugs, or data exclusivity, of Indian pharma firms with developed countries and multi-national companies, and stressed that the provision will not form part of any free trade agreements pursued by the country.
UN Special Raporteur on right to health asked to intervene in TPP Trade negotiation
22-Mar-2011 KEI
Eleven public interest advocacy groups and three law professors have submitted a petition to Anand Grover, the Special Rapporteur for the United Nations on the right to health, to intervene in a new regional trade agreement that will shrink the market for legal generic medecines.
HAI Europe on EU-India & EU-Mercosur trade agreements
19-Mar-2011
All eyes are on the EU-India trade agreement, and the repercussions it will have on access to medicines in India and other developing countries. At the same time, the EU is in the process of negotiating other trade agreements that could harm or hinder access to medicines, such as this week’s negotiations between the EU and the Mercosur countries.
Govt will protect interests of drug industry: Scindia
15-Mar-2011
Amid concerns expressed by the Indian industry, the government today said in Parliament that it will protect the interest of the domestic drug industry while finalising the free trade pact with European Union.
India, EU settle generics dispute, pave way for FTA talks in April
15-Mar-2011
India has sorted out most of its differences with the European Union on production of low-cost generic medicines, ahead of a crucial meeting on a proposed free-trade pact next month, a government official told ET. Civil society groups, however, warn that India should be on its guard to ensure that the intellectual property rights (IPR) regime is not changed to allow extension of patents.
Global e-protest against FTAs
8-Mar-2011 Act Up Paris
Write to members of Indian governement and European Commission to save affordable medicines and access to life-saving treatments in Africa, Asia and Latin America !
Bodies express concern over potential negative impact of FTA
4-Mar-2011
Positive Living HIV (PLHIV) organisations in Malaysia yesterday expressed concern over the potential negative impact on HIV medication of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) which the government is currently negotiating with the United States and the European Commission (EC).
Action against EU-India and EU-Korea FTA in Seoul
3-Mar-2011 IP Left
The Korea-EU FTA must be dismantled. And the lives of patients in over 120 countries are on the line regarding the India-EU FTA. What will devastate the Pharmacy of the World must also be stopped.
HIV patients say ‘no’ to IP provision on generic drugs
2-Mar-2011
People in Asia living with HIV and who depend on affordable generic AIDS medicines to stay alive have impressed upon the Indian government to stand strong against European Union demands on the sensitive Intellectual Property (IP) chapter in ongoing Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations.
Thousands of people with HIV protest India-EU trade deal restricting access to cheap drugs
2-Mar-2011
Thousands of people with HIV and cancer marched through the streets of India’s capital Wednesday to protest a planned trade deal with the European Union that they claim would restrict access to affordable medicines.
EU’s pharma trade hoax
25-Feb-2011 Hindu Business Line
The EU’s proposed trade agreement is riddled with intellectual property provisions that would harm India’s 2005 Patent Act and block public-interest rulings such as the Aluvia decision.
The EU-India free trade agreement: An interview with Loon Gangte
23-Feb-2011 OS Blog
"It’s like an ant fighting an elephant. We are one of the weakest and poorest groups and they (the EU and the pharmaceutical industry) are among the richest and strongest."
USTR considering pharmaceutical pricing restrictions in TPP; refuses to follow May 10th agreement on IP-medicines issues
8-Feb-2011 Info Justice
Public Citizen and Forum on Democracy and Trade met with US Trade Representative staff on January 3 to be briefed on the Obama administration’s negotiation of the TPP with respect to the planned IP chapter and the rumored chapter on pharmaceutical reimbursement programs.
Kenya joins drive to block new EU policy on ARVs
8-Feb-2011 The Standard
Kenyan activists have written to the European Union and the Kenya Government, protesting what they term damaging trade agreements such as the European Union-India Free Trade Agreement and the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement. They say the pacts would damage the fight against Aids.
EU trade deal could cost Canada’s drug plans: report
8-Feb-2011 CBC
Proposals put forward by the European Union could add billions in drug costs in Canada annually, a report released Monday says.
Data exclusivity still key hurdle to India-EU FTA
27-Jan-2011 Business Standard
Despite all official assurances, the path towards a free trade agreement between India and the European Union this year remains ambiguous, as both sides are unwilling to relax their stand on the biggest stumbling block — the issue of “data exclusivity”.
TPPA: Challenges for Australian health and medicine policies
19-Jan-2011 MJA
Of particular concern is that proposed TPPA multilateral investor–state dispute settlement procedures would allow US corporations (as well as those of other TPPA nations) to obtain damages against Australian governments through international arbitral proceedings if their investments are impeded by Australian public health and environment protection legislation.
Public health related TRIPS-plus provisions in bilateral trade agreements: A policy guide for negotiators and implementers in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean region
5-Jan-2011 WHO
The main focus of this comprehensive policy guide—the first of its kind solely dedicated to the region—is to analyze the effect of bilateral trade agreements on public health regimes and access to medicines in the countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region.
Drug patents remain a major FTA battleground
8-Dec-2010
Drug patent restrictions by the United States and the European Union in trade negotiations with emerging countries will harm the Thai pharmaceutical industry and affect local patients, say researchers.