Urgent Action Alert Bill C-9 Affordable Medicines

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Katey

War Child
Joined
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URGENT ACTION ALERT
Affordable Medicines for Developing Countries:
Tell the Federal Government to Fix Bill C-9
First introduced in November 2003 (as Bill C-56) and reinstated in February 2004, Bill C-9 has the potential to alleviate great suffering and save many lives by allowing Canadian generic pharmaceutical companies to make lower-cost medicines and export them to developing countries that cannot make their own.
Yet this objective will be undermined unless flaws currently found in the bill are fixed.
The time to act is now! In the next few weeks, Canadians need to tell their Members of Parliament and the Prime Minister that Bill C-9 must be fixed before it is passed.During the week of March 22, 2004, the Committee will begin final deliberations about whether or not to fix the problems in Bill C-9 before it is enacted. The decision could be made by Wednesday
The House of Commons Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology has finished hearing from most of the witnesses invited to make presentations on the bill.
During those proceedings, everyone recognized that the so-called "right of first refusal", that would allow brand-name drug companies to scoop contracts negotiated by generic producers to supply developing countries, was a fundamental flaw.
However, the government may be favouring a supposed alternative put forward by the brand-name pharmaceutical lobby.
That "alternative" is also flawed. Instead of allowing brand-name companies to scoop contracts after they've been negotiated, it would instead give them an early opportunity to block competing generic producers from even getting into the market in the first
This is yet another tactic to preserve monopolies on medicines, putting patents and profits before patients and people. The government must reject this so-called "alternative".
Unless amended, Bill C-9 will not lead to cheaper medicines for people most in need. This is a matter of life and death
Your support is urgently needed.

Please join the campaign and send your letter by
23 March 2004 .
copy and paste the following url to send a letter
http://www.aidslaw.ca/Maincontent/issues/cts/patent-amend/letter_Martin.htm

even if your not Canadian , this is an opportunity that we need to hear the voice of the international community on as well..send your letter to our PM or the standing committee let them know what you think.. my thanks

Prime Minister Paul Martin can be reached at:
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6
Fax: (613) 992-4291
Email: Martin.P@parl.gc.ca

To reach Mr. Brent St. Denis, Chair of the Standing
Committee on Industry, Science and Technology:
House of Commons
180 Wellington Street
671, Wellington Building
Ottawa ON K1A 0A6
Fax : 613-943-0307
Email: INST@parl.gc.ca
 
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