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| Benzaken, Pinheiro, Giacomini and Pereira: support |
In Amsterdam, the
representatives of the State of São Paulo Forum on NGO/AIDS (FOAESP), the
Bem-Me-Quer Project and the National Networking of People Living with HIV/AIDS
of the State of São Paulo (RNP+SP), manifested through a public note, their
support to the Ministry of Health on their decision of acquiring generic drugs
to treat hepatitis C, as well as it happened to some medicine against HIV. In
the letter, the Organizations stressed that “the purchase of genetic drugs or
compulsory license of patent protected medicine – whether in Brazil or abroad –
are the only alternative to guarantee the access to treatment for thousands of
citizens in need of those drugs to access cure.” Presented and personally filed
by the director of the Ministry of Health Department on STS, AIDS and Viral
Hepatitis, Dr. Adele Benzaken, the document may be read below:
PUBLIC
NOTE ON SUPPORT TO THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH DECISION TOWARDS THE TREATMENT OF
HEPATITIS C
In order
to celebrate the World Hepatitis Day, the State of São Paulo Forum on NGO/Aids (FOAESP), the Bem-Me-Quer Project (PBMQ) and the National Network of People Living with
HIV/AIDS of the State of São Paulo (RNP+SP), hereby declare they are
completely in agreement with the Ministry of Health decision towards the treatment
of hepatitis C in Brazil.
Recently,
the Ministry of Health has approved the purchase of generic drugs instead of brand-name
drugs to treat hepatitis C. As a consequence of the decision, the Government is
under pressure of the Pharmaceutical Industry to keep paying more than U$ 4,200
per treatment.
WE
ENCOURAGE the Ministry of Health decision on acquiring generic drugs against hepatitis
C. Generic drugs have biochemical equivalence to their brand-name counterparts,
manufactured by patent-holding industries, they are tested and must fulfill the
exigencies of the World Health Organization and are regulated by the National Health
Surveillance Agency (ANVISA).
WE
REINFORCE that the purchase of generic drugs and/or the compulsory license of
patented drugs – whether in Brazil or abroad – are the only alternative to
guarantee the access to hepatitis C treatment for thousands of individuals
seeking for cure.
WE BELIEVE in the effectiveness of generic
drugs. Due to the compulsory license of efavirenz and other generic antiretroviral
drugs to treat HIV, Brazil has reduced AIDS mortality rate.
WE REFUSE, moreover, any pressure, first and foremost when they come from
the pharmaceutical industry, reinforcing that they do not concern about human
lives, but profits. Health is a human rights, not a trade.
The Netherlands, Amsterdam, July
26, 2018.
Rodrigo Pinheiro José Roberto Pereira Paulo
Giacomini
FOAESP PBMQ RNP+SP
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