19 September 2002
The South African Communist Party (SACP) welcomes the step taken by COSATU and the Treatment Action Campaign to lodge a complaint with the Competition Commission against the excessive pricing practices of GlaxoSmithKline, Boehringer Ingelheim and Roche Products.
The SACP also regards this action as an important step in the renewal and intensification of the international struggle against multinational pharmaceutical companies to provide cheaper drugs, not only anti-retrovirals, but also drugs to combat the many curable diseases afflicting our country and continent. Since the April 2001 court victory against drug companies, drug companies have been able to deflect pressure against their profiteering and consequently have made no real and meaningful concessions. Behind the scenes, drug companies continue to pressure governments not to use their powers to issue compulsory licences for the production of generic medicines.
The private sector in South Africa is manifestly failing to contribute effectively to combating this pandemic. There are resources available in the private sector that can be mobilised to fight this pandemic. Through excessive pricing practises, these companies abuse their dominant market positions and patent rights. This case shows, once more, that private appropriation of knowledge in the form of patent and intellectual property rights is a real barrier to making available affordable medicines which can save lives.
The provision of affordable medicines is also an important platform to struggle for the building of a comprehensive and quality public health system.
Therefore the SACP calls on all South Africans to be mobilised behind this COSATU-TAC legal step as part of building an holistic and appropriate government-led strategy to fight the HIV/AIDS pandemic in particular and the massive public health crisis we face in general.
CONTACT
Mazibuko K. Jara (surname Jara)
Department of Media, Information & Publicity
South African Communist Party
Tel - 011 339-3621/2; Fax - 011 339-4244; Cell - 083 651 0271
Email – mazibuko@sacp.org.za