Baltimore City Council Resolution Supports the South African Treatment Action Network's Request to Permit the Use of Generic Drugs For The Treatment of HIV/AIDS
Andre Powell, labor activist from Baltimore, presents Deputy Pres. Jacob Zuma of South Africa with the Baltimore City Council Resolution that supports the South AfricanTreatment Action Network's Request to Permit the Use of Generic Drugs For The Treatment of HIV/AIDS. This presentation was made during the trip Peoples Video Network made to South Africa to complete shooting for the video Viva Chris Hani
City of Baltimore
Council Bill 01-0391
(Resolution)Introduced by: Councilmembers Stancil, Young, D'Adamo, Garey, Holtin, Harris, Gaddy, Mitchell, Welch, Handy, Curran, Cain, Stukes, Branch, Pugh
At the request of :All Peoples Congress c/o Sharon Ceci
Introduced and adopted March 19, 2001A Council Resolution Concerning
In Support of the South African Treatment Action Network's Request to Permit the Use of Generic Drugs For The Treatment of HIV/AIDS
For the purpose of expressing the support of the Baltimore City Council for the South African Treatment Action Network and other organizations in their effort to oppose the lawsuit filed by Glaxo Smith Kline and 38 other international pharmaceutical companies to overthrow the "Medicine Act' ,a South African law that would permit the use of affordable generic drugs in lieu of the very expensive drugs protected under international patent agreements, during the HIV/AIDS epidemic in South Africa.
Recitals In 1997,President Nelson Mandela signed into law the 'Medicine Act' This law provides that in the event of a health crisis, such as the South African HIV/AIDS epidemic with over 5,000,000 of its citizens infected, the South African government may import affordable generic drugs in lieu of very expensive patent protected medicine. As a result,this law operates against the interests of large international drug manufactures because it contravenes international agreements that protect the patent rights in medicines manufactured by the large international drug companies.
In order to give its citizens access to a broad selection of modern drugs, South Africa is a party to the international agreements that protect the patent rights of the large drug manufacturers. These large drug manufacturers charge an extremely high price for their patent protected medicines. Under normal conditions ,this system works. However the Pan-African AIDS epidemic has infected more than 5,000,000 South Africans, and access to cheaper generic drugs is necessary and humane. Most of South Africa's 5,000,000 men,women and children infected with the HIV/AIDS cannot afford the annual $10,000 for the patent protected medicine that relieve the symptoms of AIDS and its related illnesses. The monopoly of the large international drug companies on AIDS medicine keeps the price of AIDS drugs artificially high.
CIPLA, an Indian drug manufacturer, has offered anti-viral triple therapy, a generic AIDS drug to African countries for $600 and to Doctors Without Borders for $350. As a result of this compassionate offer by the Indian drug manufacturer, Glaxo Smith Kline and 38 other international pharmaceutical companies filed suit on March 5,2001 to overthrow the 'Medicine Act' Glaxo Smith Kline holds the exclusive rights to the patent for AZT an anti-viral medication in the AIDS drug Combivir. This is in spite of the fact that 90% of the money for research and development of this drug was U.S. tax dollars funded through a grant from the National Institute of Health. It is reasonable to expect a compassionate nation to pursue relief of the suffering of 5,000,000 of its citizens. Through the 'Medicine Act', savings realized by the use of generic AIDS drugs will be as much as 4,500% or $300 versus $10,000 which equates to a better quality of life for the millions of those suffering and their families in South Africa.
Now therefore be it resolved by the City Council of Baltimore, that the Baltimore City Council expresses its support for the All Peoples Congress and the South African Treatment Action Network in their effort to oppose the lawsuit filed by Glaxo Smith Kline and 38 other international pharmaceutical companies to overthrow the 'Medicine Act' a South African law that would permit the use of affordable generic drugs in lieu of the very expensive drugs protected under international patent agreements, during the HIV/AIDS epidemic in South Africa. And be it further resolved, That a copy of this resolution be sent to the Mayor, Thabo Mbeki .President of South Africa, the South African Treatment Action Network, The World Trade Organization, the National Institute of Health, Doctors Without Borders, the Generic Pharmaceutical Industry Association, and the National Pharmaceutical Council.
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