Demanding fairer prices for drugs

South Africa’s patent protests

Hundreds of people marched through the streets of South Africa’s capital Pretoria on Thursday as the Fix the Patent Laws campaign asked the government to amend the country’s Patents Act. Led by Médecins Sans Frontières, the Treatment Action Campaign and Section27, the campaign wants flexibility introduced in patent laws so that South Africa can lower the prices of existing medicines. The government launched a public consultation on its draft policy changes and invited comment before it reaches a final decision. The campaign has accused the government of blindly handing out patents without checking whether they meet the terms of the act, blocking the possibility of generic alternatives. That so many people joined the organizations on the streets of the city demonstrates how emotive this issue is in the country. Engaging ordinary people in an issue like this is a clear sign for South Africa’s government that something has to change.

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