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Civil Society Letter to UK Secretary of State on UK-India FTA United Kingdom Secretary of State for International Trade Rt. Hon. Kemi Badenoch MP Department for International Trade Old Admiralty Building Admiralty Place London SW1A 2DY United Kingdom 19th March 2023 CC: Minister Piyush Goyal, Indian Ministry of Commerce & Industry Dear Secretary of State, We write to you as representatives of health organisations, patient groups, civil society and community organisations from across the globe to raise concerns over the negotiations between the UK and India on an ongoing free trade agreement. The leaked text of a chapter on Intellectual Property (IP) presents serious challenges to access to pharmaceutical products globally.[1] While we recognise that the leaked text may not reflect the current state of demands from the UK on this topic, the lack of transparency leaves us without assurances that all damaging provisions will be removed from the list of demands your team is putting forward. Inclusion of an IP chapter by the UK in its trade discussions with India impacts global health. India’s supply of medicines is critical to other developing countries. India is the largest provider of generic drugs globally, accounting for more than 20% of the world’s generic medicine supply and 62% of the world’s vaccine supply. Indian-made HIV medicines constitute 80% of Africa’s total consumption.[2] Therefore, any changes in the IP policies in India has an impact on access to medicines in developing countries and globally. Given the high stakes of this FTA for global health, there is a need for these negotiations to be free from the influence of pharmaceutical companies who have clear conflict of interest promoting provisions in FTAs that increases IP monopolies. UK’s appointment of a chief negotiator who has previously worked with a pharmaceutical corporation for nearly three decades runs counter to this need for impartiality and independence. This is reflected in the leaked text of the IP chapter which reads as the wish list of the multinational bio-pharmaceutical industry vis-a-vis India’s IP system. India’s current IP laws and medicines registration system allows for a better balance between commercial interests and public health needs while fully adhering to World Trade Organization rules. As a result, India has developed an ecosystem reserving patents for genuinely new compounds while ensuring timely generic competition, on which global health relies. The significance of generic competition from India for global health should not be underestimated. Generic competition, primarily in India, has helped bring prices for the standard HIV drug cocktail down by 99%, from more than $10,000 in 2000 to less than $100 today, enabling global treatment scale-up to over 28 million people.[3] And it is not just about HIV treatments either. Health ministries with tight public health budgets increasingly rely on affordable treatments supplied by India to fulfil their right to health obligations. Leading global health funds and donors such as the Global Fund, PEPFAR, UNITAID and UNICEF also rely heavily on Indian generic drugs. Historically, the UK has played a substantial role in supporting health initiatives worldwide. But this legacy is under threat with its attempts to increase IP barriers that put affordable treatments out of reach of countries in the global south . We are particularly concerned that UK’s demands on IP based on proposals in the leaked text would:
These and any IP proposals of the UK government that in any way hinders or delays entry of affordable pharmaceutical products in India and globally are absolutely unconscionable. We call on the UK Government to immediately remove IP from the negotiations and increase transparency on the current status of the IP text. We also call for the resignation of UK’s chief negotiator and the appointment of a new Chief Negotiator independent from pharmaceutical companies so that global health concerns, including access to affordable treatments, are not undermined but treated as priorities. Signatories Global 1. Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era (Global South) 2. Health Action International (HAI) 3. Health Global Access Project 4. Human Rights Watch 5. International Grail Justice and Trade Network 6. Knowledge Ecology International, United States 7. LDC Watch 8. Médecins du Monde International Network 9. People´s Health Movement (PHM) 10. People's Vaccine Alliance (PVA) 11. Social Watch 12. Society for International Development 13. Treatment Action Group 14. Third World Network 15. Universities Allied for Essential Medicines (UAEM) Regional 16. Advocacy Network Africa (AdNetA) 17. Agro-Coastal Research & Development Organization (ACORDO), Somalia 18. AIDS and Rights Alliance for Southern Africa-ARASA 19. Asia Pacific Network of People Living with HIV (APN+) 20. Asia Pacific Council of AIDS Service Organizations (APCASO) 21. Assam Network of Positive People 22. Association of Women of Southern Europe (AFEM) 23. Centre for Environment, Human Rights & Development Forum (CEHRDF) 24. Civil Society Coalition on Transport Uganda, East Africa 25. Community Based TB/HIV AIDS Organization (CBTO) 26. Health Action International Asia Pacific 27. INNOVARTE 28. International Treatment Preparedness Coalition (ITPC)-South Asia 29. People's Vaccine Alliance- Asia 30. Public Services International Asia Pacific 31. South Asia Alliance for Poverty Eradication (SAAPE) 32. Tuberculosis Watch 33. West Africa Youth Network for Peace Education and Economic Development (WAYNPEED) National 34. Abs development organization for women and child, Yemen 35. Access Care Treatment and Support Ghana 36. Access to Rights and Knowledge (ARK) Foundation, India 37. Afrihealth Optonet Association (CSOs Network) (AHOA), Nigeria 38. All India Drug Action Network, India 39. All Nepal Peasant Federation, Nepal 40. Altar Relief Foundation, Ghana 41. Ashanti Regional Youth Network, Ghana 42. Ashwasti, India 43. Asociación por un Acceso Justo al Medicamento, Spain 44. Association pour le respect du droit des populations autochtones, du développement durable et du droit de l'homme (ARPA2DH), Republic of Congo 45. Association For Promotion Sustainable Development, India 46. Association of volunteers for community development, Nigeria 47. Association pour la Conservation et la Protection des Écosystèmes des Lacs et l'Agrlculture Durable, Democratic Republic of Congo 48. Bangladesh Nari Progati Sangha, Bangladesh 49. BARAC UK, United Kingdom 50. Bayelsa State Primary Health Care Board, Nigeria 51. Bengal Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS, India 52. Bharatiya Bhatake Vimukt Vikas Va Sanshodhan Sanstha, Satar, India 53. Both ENDS, Netherland 54. Bridges of Hope Kenya, Kenya 55. Cancer Alliance, South Africa 56. Citizens' Health Initiative, Malaysia 57. Coalition of Women Living with HIV and AIDS, Malawi 58. Confederation of Independent Union in the Public Sector, Philippines 59. Contribution à l'Education de Base, Niger 60. Country Women's Association of Nigeria, Nigeria 61. Dalhatu Araf specialist hospital Lafia Nasarawa state, Nigeria 62. Dandora community Aids support Association (DACASA), Kenya 63. Delhi Network of Positive People (DNP+), India 64. Delta Cultural Initiative DCI -Worldwide, Nigeria 65. Disability Peoples Forum Uganda 66. Drug Action Forum-Karnataka, India 67. Ebo Centre for Community Empowerment & Sustainable Development, Nigeria 68. Edet Amana Foundation (EDAF), Nigeria 69. Foundation for Community Empowerment Initiative, Nigeria 70. Force Juvénile pour un Avenir Rassurant, Benin 71. Foundation For Social Transformation, India 72. Foundation For Sustainable Development And Climate Action (FSDCA), India 73. Freedom from Debt Coalition, Philippines 74. Frente Nacional por la Salud de los Pueblos del Ecuador 75. FTA Watch, Thailand 76. Fundacion Arcoiris por el respeto a la diversidad sexual, Mexico 77. Fundacion IFARMA, Colombia 78. Fundacion para estudio e investgacion de la Mujer, Argentina 79. Fundamental Human Rights Rural Development Association, Pakistan 80. Future Enactment Initiative Liberia, Liberia 81. Global Alliance for Human Rights, India 82. Global Care For Health Support Initiative, Nigeria 83. Global Humanitarian Progress Corp, Colombia 84. Global Justice Now, United Kingdom 85. Good Neighbors International (GNI) Nepal 86. Governance Links Tanzania 87. Gramya Resource Centre for Women, India 88. Green Vision for Community Development Initiative, Nigeria 89. Grupo de Trabalho sobre Propriedade Intelectual, Brazil 90. Gujarat State Network Of People Living With HIV/AIDS, India 91. Health Care Community of Positive People, Ambajogai, India 92. Health Equity Initiatives, Malaysia 93. Health Justice Initiative, South Africa 94. Hopeful Women Initiative, Nigeria 95. Human Rights Research Documentation Centre (HURIC), Uganda 96. Ibn Sina Academy of Medieval Medicine and Sciences, India 97. Indonesia AIDS Coalition, Indonesia 98. Indonesia for Global Justice (IGJ), Indonesia 99. Initiative for Medicines, Access & Knowledge (I-MAK), United States of America 100. Initiative for Social and Economic Rights (ISER), Uganda 101. Institute of Social Research and sustainable Development, India 102. International centre for humanitarian action networking and grassroots empowerment, Ivory Coast 103. International community of women living with and Affected by HIV and AIDS Kenya Chapter (ICWK), Kenya 104. IT For Change, India 105. Jan Swasthya Abhiyan (PHM-India), India 106. JEJAKA, Malaysia 107. Just Treatment, United Kingdom 108. Kalingalinga Health Center, Chest Clinic, TB section, Zambia 109. Kamukunji Paralegal Trust (KAPLET), Republic of Kenya 110. Kenya Legal and Ethical Issues Network on HIV and AIDS (KELIN), Kenya 111. Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad: Science for Social Revolution! (KSSP), India 112. Khmer National Liberation Front 113. Khulumani Support Group, South Africa 114. Kikandwa Environmental Association, Uganda 115. Labor Education and Research Network (LEARN), Philippines 116. Ladder for rural development, Malawi 117. Lawyers Collective, India 118. Lhak-Sam, a Bhutan Network of People Living with HIV and AIDS, Bhutan 119. Life care society for underprivileged, India 120. Link Africa Knowledge, Nigeria 121. McGharbins Network, Ghana 122. Malaysian Women's Action for Tobacco Control and Health (MyWATCH), Malaysia 123. Manipur Network of Positive People (MNP+), India 124. Meghalaya State Network of Positive People living with HIV, India 125. Michael Adedotun Oke Foundation (GFAR), Nigeria 126. Michael and Francisca Foundation, Nigeria 127. Misión Salud, Colombia 128. Mizoram State Network of Positive People, India 129. MOD Public Health Foundation Graduate Public Health, Development and Strategic Studies Centre (GPHDSC), Uganda 130. Most At Risk Populations' Society in Uganda (MARPS In Uganda), Uganda 131. National TB Network, Nepal 132. National Coalition of People Living with HIV in India (NCPI), India 133. National Fisheries Solidarity Movement, Sri Lanka 134. National Organization of Peer Educators, Kenya 135. National Union of Workers in Hotel, Restaurant and Allied Industries, Philippines 136. Network in Thane by people living with HIV/AIDS (NTP+), India 137. Network Lobby for Catholic Social Justice, United States of America 138. Network of Ahmednagar district by people living with HIV/AIDS, India 139. Network of Buldhana by people living with HIV, India 140. Network of Hingoli by people living with HIV, India 141. Network of Maharashtra by People Living with HIV (NMP+), India 142. Network of Naga people living with HIV/AIDS, India 143. Network of TB Champions Kenya, Kenya 144. Network for Positive People in Trichy (NPT), India 145. New Generational Destiny Initiatives, Nigeria 146. Nigerian Red Cross Society (N.R.C.S.) Zamfara state branch, Nigeria 147. Nkoko Iju Africa, Kenya 148. North East Regional Network of People Living with HIV, India 149. Nwankwo Akubiro Leadership & Development Foundation, Nigeria 150. Observatoire de la Transparence dans les Politiques du médicament, France 151. Observatorio de Género y Equidad, Chile 152. One Billion Rising, India 153. Operation Young Vote, Zambia 154. Organisation Congo Prévention Secours (OCPS), Congo 155. Pakistan Fisher folk Forum, Pakistan 156. Pamoja TB Group, Kenya 157. Parti Sosial Malaysia, Malaysia 158. People's Health Movement Uganda Chapter, Uganda 159. Persatuan Pergerakan Pengguna, Malaysia 160. Persatuan WeCareJourney, Malaysia 161. Plateforme Haïtienne de Plaidoyer pour un Développement Alternatif (PAPDA), Haïti 162. Positive Malaysian Treatment Access & Advocacy Group, Malaysia 163. Prime Initiative for Community Development and Fiscal Transparency, Nigeria 164. Privartan Foundation, India 165. Project on Organizing, Development, Education, and Research (PODER), Mexico 166. Public Citizen, United States of America 167. Public Eye, Switzerland 168. Red de Acceso a Medicamentos de Guatemala 169. RED Internacional en Salud Colectiva y Salud Intercultural, Mexico 170. Rescue Health Initiative Africa, Nigeria 171. Réseau québécois pour une mondialisation inclusive (RQMI) Canada 172. SAF-TESO, Uganda 173. Salud por Derecho, Spain 174. Sankalp Rehabilitation Trust, India 175. Save the Climate, Democratic Republic of Congo 176. SENTRO Labor Center, Philippines 177. Social Development Through Community Action, Kenya 178. Social Watch Philippines 179. Society for Conservation and Sustainability of Energy and Environment in Nigeria (SOCSEEN), Nigeria 180. Solidaritas Perempuan, Indonesia 181. Solidarité Internationale Pour l'Afrique, Mali 182. South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), HIV and other Infectious Diseases Research Unit, South Africa 183. Southern and East African Trade & Negotiations Institute - South Africa, 184. Spring of Hope Global Initiative, Nigeria 185. Students for Global Health, United Kingdom 186. Sunray Harvesters, India 187. Suruwat -Friends of Change, Nepal 188. Tanzania Network of Women Living with HIV, Tanzania 189. Tax and Fiscal Justice Alliance, Nepal 190. Telugu Network of people Living with HIV/AIDS, India 191. Thai Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS, Thailand 192. Uganda Land owner's Association, Uganda 193. Uganda Network of AIDS Service Organisations (UNASO), Uganda 194. Uttar Pradesh welfare for people living with HIV/AIDS Society, India 195. Vietnam Network of People living with HIV, Vietnam 196. Virtues Club, Nigeria 197. War on Want, United Kingdom 198. We Care Journey, Malaysia 199. WomanHealth Philippines 200. Women and Children Advocacy Network, Nigeria 201. Women for Decency Int'l Outreach, Nigeria 202. Women for Equal Chances-Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo 203. Womens Probono Initiative, Uganda 204. Wote Youth Development Projects CBO, Kenya 205. Youth Foundation of Bangladesh 206. Yrg care, India 207. Zimbabwe community Competence Trust, Zimbabwe 208. Zimbabwe Evidence Informed Policy Network, Zimbabwe [2] See https://www.gabionline.net/reports/India-supplies-20-of-generic-drugs-worldwide; https://scroll.in/article/745344/why-south-africas-health-minister-is-so-worried-about-india-caving-in-to-big-pharma [3] https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/hiv-aids#:~:text=Globally%2C%2028.7%20million%20people%20living,at%20the%20end%20of%202021 and https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3078828/
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