 A cancer epidemic is sweeping India, killing nearly 7 lakh each year -- many of whom never even had a chance to survive because they couldn't afford treatment. The government can stop this outrageous injustice by making life-saving drugs cheaper, but politicians who already get the care for free are dragging their feet. Sign now and we'll deliver our call straight to the 3 Ministers responsible:  |
India could curb the crippling costs by allowing drug companies to make generic versions of life-saving medicines to sell at cheaper prices. The government has done this before, but right now netas are dragging their feet because they don't have to worry -- they get their treatment free of charge. It's one more example of politicians protecting their privileges while ignoring ordinary citizens, but with elections fast approaching now is our chance to bring prices down and save countless lives.
If we push three Ministers to act, they could make cancer drugs more affordable for all Indians, giving everyone a fairer shot at survival. Sign now and when we reach 50,000 signers we'll deliver the petition straight to their offices:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/india_vs_big_pharma_loc/?bQwOObb&v=33889
More than 50,000 women in India die every year from breast cancer alone. Many could be saved, but they can't afford the expensive medicine they need. But there's hope -- the government has already forced powerful drug giants to make some of the treatments more affordable. Now, they're considering adding more vital drugs to the list, but feel no urgency since they already have access to the best treatments.
The drug makers, backed by the United States where most of them are based, argue that not respecting their patents and allowing generic drugs onto the market will disincentivise investments in research that lead to medical breakthroughs. But that's the same argument AIDS drug makers made a decade ago when people pushed for AIDS treatments to be made available for free in Africa and it didn't deter rapid advancements in new AIDS medicines. Imagine if we'd helped get AIDS medicines into the hands of poor people who needed them sooner -- we could have saved countless lives!
Let's not make the same mistake with cancer. Together we can make sure the government pushes through the plan to make cancer drugs affordable. Because no one should have to die when there's medicine that could save their life. For the families whose loved ones are ill, sign now:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/india_vs_big_pharma_loc/?bQwOObb&v=33889
From free healthcare for Fukushima children in Japan, to fighting public health privatisation in Spain, to better care for babies in Mexico, Avaaz members have been defending people's health in all corners of the world. This is our chance to get affordable treatment for cancer patients.
With hope,
Meredith, Allison, Jeremy, Nádia, Aldine, Ian, Ricken and the entire Avaaz team
MORE INFORMATION
India's efforts to aid poor worry drugmakers (New York Times)
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/30/health/indias-efforts-to-aid-poor-worry-drugmakers.html?pagewanted...
7 lakh Indians died of cancer last year: WHO (Times of India)
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-12-14/india/45189968_1_breast-cancer-top-five-cance...
Obama administration, Congress intensify opposition to global generic drug industry (Huffington Post)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/28/obama-generic-drugs_n_3513011.html
The new drug war:Hard pills to swallow (The Economist)
http://www.economist.com/news/international/21592655-drug-firms-have-new-medicines-and-patients-are-....
Bayer to appeal against India's patent ruling on Nexavar (The Hindu Business Line)
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/companies/bayer-to-appeal-against-indias-patent-ruling-on-nexavar/article4484568.ece
How an Indian Patent Case Could Shape the Future of Generic Drugs (Time)
http://world.time.com/2012/08/21/how-an-indian-patent-case-could-shape-the-future-of-generic-drugs/#...
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