Sunday, January 19, 2014

Cosatu condemns pharma patents move

Loyiso Langeni
19 January 2014

The Congress of South African Trade Unions on Saturday condemned the plan by pharmaceutical companies to block the adoption of the National policy on Intellectual Property that would drive down prices for a range of medications, including antiretrovirals and tuberculosis treatment, and allow South Africans to have access to cheaper and more affordable medication. 

Cosatu Shop Steward Vusumuzi Bhengu said this plan is equivalent to betrayal as it seeks to stop parliament from exercising its duty to pass legislation that improves the lives of South Africans.

“It will cause a genocide because many South African will be forced to pay very expensive prices for medication that is supposed to be provided at a low cost.” Bhengu added.

 He concluded by saying that pharmaceutical companies are making in billions of rands at the expense of the poor. Many die because they cannot access drugs at cheaper rates. Even generics are too expensive for many South Africans.

 

 

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