The Federation of Medical and Sales Representatives Association of India (FMRAI) has decided to join the rally against Novartis, which challenged sections of Indian Patent Law in its latest case against Government of India.

The Federation will join the other Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to protest against Novartis' stand in the patenting of its leukaemia drug, Gleevec, informed the organisation officials. The organisation is planning to conduct demonstrations and protest rallies in front of the company offices soon.

"Almost all our fellow organisations are already right in the path of protest on the issue. We have conducted various levels of in-house discussions to carry the protest. Decision on the protest roadmap will be ready by our next secretariat committee meeting," D P Dubey, general secretary, FMRAI told Pharmabiz.

The FMRAI will design its action plan for protest by the next secretariat meeting on March 2007. The meeting will discuss on up to what extend the protest should be carried and whether to join the ongoing litigation, added sources.

The matter will also be discussed in the Second National Health Assembly (NHA 2) organised by Jana Swasthya Abhiyan, the Indian circle of the People's Health Movement, from 23rd to 25th March 2007 at Bhopal. The National Health Assembly will be held under a national co-ordination committee with representatives of 21 NGOs including All India Drug Action Network (AIDAN), Centre for Community Health and Social Medicine-JNU, Centre for Health Enquiry into Health and Allied Themes (CEHAT), FMRAI, Voluntary Health Association of India (VHAI) etc.

FMRAI has also decided to raise the drug related issues including rational reduction of drug prices, usage of need-based drugs, rational use of drugs through public awareness programs and demonstrations. The Federation also moots the need of establishing more drug manufacturing units under public sector as the part of these campaigns.