Patients before profits
The health and lives of millions of poor people worldwide depend on affordable medicines made in India. When Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis launched a legal battle to challenge India's right to produce cheap, generic versions of medicines, half a million people – including 80,000 Oxfam supporters – voiced their opposition. And it has worked!
Can you imagine not being able to afford life-saving medicines? In 2006, Novartis launched a court case against India, which could have made this grim prospect a terrible reality for millions of poor people.
Photo: Rajendra Shaw
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India is the ‘pharmacy of the developing world’. Millions of people living in poverty around the world depend on Indian generic medicines for their survival.
Photo: Crispin Hughes
Novartis’ legal challenge - mounted to limit competition to its own patented medicines - was a threat to people suffering from cancer, HIV and AIDS, diabetes and other diseases who are too poor to pay for them.
Photo: Rajendra Shaw
Half a million people around the world supported India’s right to produce affordable medicines. More than 80,000 Oxfam supporters voiced their opposition by sending emails to the CEO of Novartis.
Photo: Vidyadhar Sreeprasad
The support and attention raised this from a technical issue, to one of global and moral significance. With this decision to put patients’ rights first, India has set the course for other poor countries to stand firm under pressure from multinational drugs companies. It’s also good news that Novartis has decided not to appeal the case.
Photo: Oxfam
When you speak out, people listen. Thanks to everyone who supported this campaign - you've played an important role in the struggle to overcome poverty and suffering.
Photo: Crispin Hughes
