The International Council of Medicines Sans Frontieres, which provides medical assistance and relief to nearly 80 countries worldwide, has appealed to the government of India that the country should continue provider of affordable medicines to the people in developing countries during the post patent period. And while ratifying its Patent Bill finally, the government should ensure that this provision is maintained in the Bill.

In a letter addressed to Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, the President of India, along with copies to the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi, has asked their support to ensure that patients in developing countries will continue to have access to affordable medicines. The letter is in the wake of their understanding that the amendments to the Patent Act of 1970 of India will be discussed in Parliament in the coming weeks.

In the letter, the MSF has cautioned that while examining the proposed amendments to the Patents Act of 1970, it occurred to them that these amendments would drastically restrict, perhaps even prevent, the production and supply of vital therapeutic products like HIV/AIDS drugs by Indian pharmaceutical companies to other developing countries.

MSF appealed to the government that India has played a pivotal role in supplying affordable generic versions of drugs used throughout the developing world. It has also been a leader in the debates at the World Trade Organization on the agreement on Trade-related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights and its effects on Public Health. "Of the 700,000 people, who currently receive antiretroviral treatment in the developing world, 50 per cent receive Indian generic medicines. Today, MSF treats 25,000 people with antiretrovirals in 27 countries around the world, and 70 per cent of our patients use medicines that originate in India. The availability of fixed-dose combination therapy (or three-in-one pills) has revolutionised AIDS treatment, a fact we have witnessed first hand in our own programmes. Providing this user-friendly form of treatment has only been possible because there are no patent constraints in India on putting these medicines together in one tablet," it added.

Since India is the major manufacturer and supplier of affordable generic medicines, the MSF has strongly urged the Indian Government to ensure its compliance with the WTO agreement on Trade-related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights that will ensure maximum flexibility in the Indian patent law and policies for the benefit of patients - in India and globally.

The MSF letter signed by Dr Rowan Gillies, president, International Council of Médecins Sans Frontières, and Dr. Karim Laouabdia-Sellami, director, Campaign for Access to Essential Medicines, Médecins Sans Frontières, anticipâtes that India will continue to demonstrate the kind of international leadership it has shown with the WTO Doha Declaration on TRIPS and Public Health. The NGO has reiterated that any amendments to the law will safeguard not only the citizens of India, but also the millions of children, women and men in the developing world whose lives depend on access to affordable generic medicines.