INDIAN COURT REJECTS BAYER'S CLAIM TO PATENT MEDICINES!!

Indian Court Gives Boost to Access to Medicines as Latest Appeal by Bayer is Rejected

NEW DEHLI/GENEVA - February 9 - In a welcome move for access to medicines, the Delhi High Court has rejected the appeal filed by the German pharmaceutical company Bayer Corporation against an earlier court order which had rejected the implementation of a drug regulatory system which essentially linked registration of medicines to their patent status.

In August 2009, the Delhi High Court had rejected the petition filed by Bayer Corporation, seeking to stop the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) from granting marketing approval to a generic version of a cancer drug patented by Bayer.

“We are delighted with this decision – at the moment in India we are seeing a number of multinational pharmaceutical companies trying to use litigation to stifle generic competition,” said Dr. Tido von Schoen-Angerer of Médecins Sans Frontières’ Campaign for Access to Essential Medicines. “By rejecting Bayer’s attempts to introduce patent linkage, the Indian courts have ensured that public health safeguards like compulsory licensing can be used to open up generic production of life-saving medicines including antiretrovirals for millions in India and beyond. We hope this judicial precedent of safeguarding public health in patent disputes will continue, as matters such as these, and the forthcoming Novartis case go up to the Supreme Court.”

Anand Grover, counsel for Cancer Patients Aid Association added: “In India, we do not have a patent linkage system. The patent system and the drug regulatory system are two separate and independent mechanisms and this is Parliament’s intent. We hope that Bayer and other pharmaceutical companies respect this fact. A patent holder cannot use the DCGI, a government agency, to enforce its private rights. This was an attempt to introduce a TRIPS-plus requirement in India, which has been rejected.”
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Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international medical humanitarian organization created by doctors and journalists in France in 1971. MSF's work is based on the humanitarian principles of medical ethics and impartiality. The organization is committed to bringing quality medical care to people caught in crisis regardless of race, religion, or political affiliation.
MSF operates independently of any political, military, or religious agendas.

CONTACT: Doctors Without Borders/MSF
Emily Linendoll Press Officer Direct: 212-763-5764 Mobile: 646-206-9387
E-mail: emily.linendoll@msf.org
http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2010/02/09-11

USA Needs to Take A Page From India's Book

PURPLE PASSION: A government panel last year supported introduction of a genetically modified eggplant, but the government said it would consult experts and farmers before accepting the recommendations. (Photo: brew ha ha/Flickr)

NEW DELHI — India has postponed the launch of its first genetically modified (GM) vegetable, saying it would adopt a cautious approach and wait for more scientific studies on the impact of the new variety of eggplant.

"The moratorium will be in place until all tests are carried out to the satisfaction of everyone ... If that means no start of production, so be it," Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh told reporters on Tuesday.

"They killed three birds with one shot. They have defused the public sentiment against them, number two is the political opposition was neutralized and three they prevailed over Sharad Pawar," said N. Bhaskara Rao of the Center for Media Studies.

Full Text: http://www.mnn.com/food/farms-gardens/stories/india-delays-genetically-modified-vegetable-start-for-further-tests

VIMEO: AGRICULTURE'S DEADLY INJUSTICE

from East Bay Pictures
http://www.commondreams.org/video/2010/02/08-0
Interview With Eric Holt-Giménez Part 2

Eric Holt-Giménez is executive director of Food First, the institute for food & development policy.

In part 2 of their interview, filmed in August of 2008, Eric talks about modern agriculture, how it came about, and the injustice it has created.

BRAVO AGAIN TO THE YES MEN!!!! STICKIN' IT TO DA "ADM MAN"

Leave it to THE YES MEN to produce this brutally honest report on Arthur Daniels Midland.

ADM Tries to Take Down Funny Video; Big Business Has No Solutions; Now What?
CLICK TO SEE VIDEO REPORT:

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xbz89k_davos-annual-meeting-2010-adm-ceo-p_news

NATIONWIDE - February 4 - A legal complaint from agribusiness giant ADM has resulted in the removal from Youtube of a fake video of ADM's CEO making over-honest pronouncements. (The video is still available here, here, and, for download and reposting, here.)

Last week, the filmmaking team behind The End of Poverty? partnered with the Yes Men to create a parallel, imaginary World Economic Forum in which world leaders came up with real solutions to poverty. The leaders seemed, in a series of videos, to be supporting a set of initiatives based on 10 Solutions to End Poverty, a petition for which the filmmakers are trying to get ten million signatures by the end of 2010.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 4, 2010
9:02 AM

CONTACT: The Yes Men
scurrilous@theyesmen.org, bportello@cinemalibrestudio.com

WILL OHIO LEAD THE WAY FOR COMPASSIONATE FARMS?

Ohioans for Humane Farms Petitions to Put Measure on November Ballot Protecting Animal Welfare, Food Safety, Family Farmers and the Environment
COLUMBUS, Ohio - February 1 - Ohioans for Humane Farms submitted a petition-including signatures from Ohio voters in 48 counties, demonstrating broad and regionally diverse support-to Ohio's Attorney General in support of placing an anti-cruelty measure on the statewide November ballot. The proposed measure would allow voters to require the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board to adopt certain minimum standards that will prevent the cruel and inhumane treatment of farm animals, enhance food safety, protect the environment and strengthen Ohio family farms.

Utilizing a large volunteer base, the group will seek to collect more than 600,000 signatures of registered Ohio voters upon approval of the petition forms by the Secretary of State. The ballot measure is backed by The Humane Society of the United States, Farm Sanctuary, Ohio SPCA, Toledo Area Humane Society, Geauga Humane Society, Ohio League of Humane Voters, Center for Food Safety, United Farm Workers, Consumer Federation of America, Center for Science in the Public Interest, and a growing list of organizations.
Full Text: http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2010/02/01-12
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 1, 2010
8:19 PM
CONTACT: Farm Sanctuary
Erin Williams, The HSUS, 301-721-6446, ewilliams@humanesociety.org
Meredith Turner, Farm Sanctuary, 646-369-6212, mturner@farmsanctuary.or

MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD- BY FEBRUARY 16, 2010!

Who's protecting farmers and consumers from GE contamination? Not USDA

USDA has released for public comment its draft environmental impact statement (EIS) on Monsanto’s genetically engineered, Roudup Ready alfalfa, and unfortunately, USDA has not done its job. USDA has ignored the real-life concerns of non-GE alfalfa farmers, dairies, exporters, retailers and consumers. Despite public outcry, USDA’s determination is to once again approve GE alfalfa without any limitations or protections for consumers, the environment, or farmers’ right to sow the crop of their choice without fear of contamination and rejection of their products. Incredibly, USDA claims that consumers don’t care if organic and conventional farmers’ crops are contaminated!
In 2006, the Center for Food Safety (CFS) sued the Department of Agriculture (USDA) on behalf of farmers and others for its illegal approval of Monsanto’s Roundup Ready alfalfa and won, banning GE alfalfa until the USDA fully analyzed its impacts on the environment, farmers, and the public. However, the resulting EIS is woefully inadequate, leaving farmers and consumers unprotected while Monsanto goes on with business as usual.

This is the first time the USDA has done this type of analysis for any GE crop, so the final decision will have broad implications for all GE crops and for the future of organic agriculture—that is why it’s so important that USDA hear from YOU. USDA is only accepting comments on this EIS through February 16, 2010, so please take action today!
SEND YOUR COMMENTS: http://ga3.org/campaign/alfalfaEIS2/e5dwixs4fjet3jjm?

CALLING FOR A MORATORIUM ON GM FOODS!! THE U.S. ASSOCIATION OF PHYSICIANS!

The American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) has just issued a call for an immediate moratorium on Genetically Manipulated (GMO) Foods.

In a just-released position paper on GMO foods, the AAEM states that ‘GM foods pose a serious health risk’ and calls for a moratorium on GMO foods. Citing several animal studies, the AAEM concludes ‘there is more than a casual association between GMO foods and adverse health effects’ and that ‘GM foods pose a serious health risk in the areas of toxicology, allergy and immune function, reproductive health, and metabolic, physiologic and genetic health.’ The report is a devastating blow to the multibillion dollar international agribusiness industry, most especially to Monsanto Corporation, the world’s leading purveyor of GMO seeds and related herbicides.

In a press release dated May 19, the American Academy of Environmental Medicine, which describes itself as ‘an international association of physicians and other professionals dedicated to addressing the clinical aspects of environmental health,’ called immediately for the following emergency measures to be taken regarding human consumption of GMO foods:

* A moratorium on GMO food; implementation of immediate long term safety testing and labelling of GMO food.
* Physicians to educate their patients, the medical community and the public to avoid GMO foods.
* Physicians to consider the role of GMO foods in their patients’ disease processes.
* More independent long term scientific studies to begin gathering data to investigate the role of GMO foods on human health.

Full Text: http://www.citizens.org/?p=1841