Karnataka - Bangalore   

Call to boycott Novartis products

BANGALORE: The Janaarogya Andolana Karnataka has urged medical doctors and consumers to boycott all products manufactured by the Swiss based multinational company, Novartis, till the company withdraws its case before the Intellectual Property Appellate Board seeking patent for Gleevec, a drug used to treat chronic myeloid leukaemia.

Speaking to presspersons here, the andolana chairperson, Prakash Rao, said that Gleevec was originally manufactured by Novartis, but generic versions of the drug are being produced by a number of Indian companies.

“Treatment with Gleevec costs Rs. 1.20 lakh a month, whereas Indian companies market the same drug at a price of about Rs. 8,000. Several appeals made to the company to withdraw the case have failed and we are forced to give a boycott call,” he added.

He said that the company’s application for grant of patent for Gleevec in India was rejected by the Patent Controller’s office in Chennai and the decision has been challenged by Novartis.

“If Novartis wins the case, benefits accruing to millions of patients of various ailments worldwide due to their access to generic Indian drugs would be jeopardised,” he added.

Similarly, Dr. Rao said that there were more than 3,000 such cases seeking patents, and that this case could become precedence for other patent related cases.

Gopal Dabade of Drug Action Forum said that the forum has spoken to many doctors through the Indian Medical Association and urged them not to prescribe Voveran, a painkiller, and Calcium Sandoz, a calcium supplement, two of the most popular products of Novartis, in an effort to build pressure on the company. “Many doctors have responded to our requests positively,” he added.

Meanwhile, attempts by The Hindu to contact Novartis in Mumbai to secure its version on the case turned to be futile.

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