General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsObama Administration, Congress Intensify Opposition To Global Generic Drug Industry
WASHINGTON -- The Obama administration and members of Congress are pressing India to curb its generic medication industry. The move comes at the behest of U.S. pharmaceutical companies, which have drowned out warnings from public health experts that inexpensive drugs from India are essential to providing life-saving treatments around the world.
Low-cost generics from India have dramatically lowered medical costs in developing countries and proved critical to global AIDS relief programs; about 98 percent of the drugs purchased by President George W. Bush's landmark PEPFAR AIDS relief program are generics from India. Before Indian companies rolled out generic versions priced at $1 a day, AIDS medication cost about $10,000 per person per year.
But India's generic industry has also cut into profits for Pfizer and other U.S. and European drug companies. In response, these companies have sought to impose aggressive patenting and intellectual property standards in India, measures that would grant the firms monopoly pricing power over new drugs and lock out generics producers.
On Thursday, a House subcommittee held a hearing on international trade disputes with India that included testimony from American manufacturing and solar energy groups. Most of the event, however, was devoted to U.S. drug company Pfizer's complaints about Indian policies that have fostered the country's billion-dollar generics industry. The hearing followed Secretary of State John Kerry's trip to India earlier this week for the U.S.-India Strategic Dialogue, a major diplomatic mission.
Last week, a bipartisan group of 170 House lawmakers sent a letter to Kerry and President Barack Obama raising objections to India's patent system. But at Thursday's hearing, few seemed well-versed on intellectual property or public health issues.
"I first learned of this issue just a few short weeks ago from Pfizer, my largest employer in my district," said Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.), before asking Pfizer Chief Intellectual Property Officer Roy Waldron if his company had talked to the Obama administration about its concerns.
<snip>
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/28/obama-generic-drugs_n_3513011.html
NYC_SKP
(68,644 posts)Tierra_y_Libertad
(50,414 posts)Or, cravenly protecting the pharma corporations from competition.
brer cat
(24,594 posts)when drugs are unaffordable. I have taken generic meds from India for several years that I can't afford in US even with my medicare drug plan.
usGovOwesUs3Trillion
(2,022 posts)Fuck them and their insanely rich friends who they rode in on!
Fearless
(18,421 posts)proverbialwisdom
(4,959 posts)Response to villager (Original post)
GeorgeGist This message was self-deleted by its author.
GeorgeGist
(25,322 posts)No cost is too great.
okaawhatever
(9,462 posts)webpage show several examples of Obama being pro-generic. Matter of fact, there was just an official endorsement of Obama's 2014 budget from the generic drug manufacturers association. Apparently he rewards plans under Obamacare to encourage generics. He also was very active in the pay-for-delay lawsuit brought to the Supreme Court. The practice was someone like Pfizer would sue the generic manufacturer when the patent expired (or the generic would sue Pfizer) during that time, only the name brand was made charging customers more. After months or years of delay, the companies would settle. Basically, split up the extra profits made on the backs of customers. That has just been ended.
There is too much evidence of Obama promoting generics and reducing medical costs. The question is India's patent system. Just another hit piece to stir up rage.