PUBLIC INVITE: FIX THE PATENT LAWS CAMPAIGN
THURSDAY 17 OCT – SUNNYPARK, PRETORIA
Activists will demand South Africa stops blindly handing out drug patents.
- PRESS CONFERENCE (10:30am) Holiday Inn, Sunnypark
- PUBLIC ACTION & RALLY (11:30am onwards) from Burgers Park to DTI campus Meintjies Street
WHAT:
The Fix the Patent Laws campaign – run by the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), Doctors Without Borders (MSF) and SECTION27 – has been campaigning since 2011 for the South African government to amend its Patents Act to increase access to more affordable medicines.
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) finally released its ‘Draft National Policy on Intellectual Property, 2013’ on September 4, 2013 inviting public comments.
On the final day for public comment, Thursday 17 October, the TAC, MSF and SECTION27, along with activists and members of the public, will march to the DTI offices in Sunnypark, Pretoria, and hand-deliver their submission.
The submission of the organisations’ comments will coincide with a rally and photo opportunity and will be preceded by a 45-minute press conference at the Holiday Inn Express 400 metres away.
ABOUT THE PRESS CONFERENCE:
Panellists will include the TAC, MSF and SECTION27 representatives, as well as a former drug-resistant TB patient Phumeza Tisile, who will outline the justifications for key reforms demanded by the campaign. A range of new materials will be available outlining high prices and other challenges to access for a number of key drugs.
At 12:00pm, a DTI representative will receive the joint submission from TAC, MSF and SECTION27.
WHEN: Thursday 17 October, 10:30 – 13:00
WHERE: Press conference: Holiday Inn Express Pretoria, Sunnypark
Cnr Jeppe Str & Trevenna Str, Sunnyside
Start of March: Burgers Park Entrance
Junction of Minnaar Str. & Thabo Sehume Str
DTI offices: 77 Meintjies Street, Sunnypark
Public action to take place in the plaza on the NW Cnr Meintjies Str & Robert Sobukwe Str.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Kate Ribet, Media Liaison Officer, MSF SA
kate.ribet@joburg.msf.org | 079 872 2950