Stop big pharma killing India's cheap medicine

Obama is flying to India soon to negotiate some sort of agreement with India. Big pharma is up in arms about their generic medicines undercutting their outrageously priced drugs and is putting pressure on India about it. Hopefully India and the US can come to a sensible agreement that protects the poors access to affordable medicines. The PBS in Australia would also be put under strain from increased drug prices. A world petition about it is going here.

President Obama’s visit to India in days could spell life or death for millions of poor people in Asia, Africa and Latin America, but if we move fast we can ensure they can still get the medicines they need. 

India produces cheap HIV, malaria and cancer drugs, but Big Pharma wants to stop this, to sell their own products at higher prices. Their fierce lobby has got the US to push their line hard, even threatening trade sanctions if India doesn’t change its patent laws which put people before profits. Now pressure is rising as talks begin on a new investment treaty. 

Before Obama flies, let’s build a million-strong call to protect India’s proud role as the pharmacy to the world’s poor, make it a mega media story while he is there and then deliver it with our own common sense trade plan developed by experts that protects access to medicine. Add your name now.