NGOs Join Big Pharma Bust-Up Over Cancer Drug

The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) and SECTION27 have joined the fray in a face-off between Aventis Pharma and Cipla Life Sciences in a patent war over cancer drug, Docetaxel.

The TAC, which joined proceedings as a friend of the court, argues that the Patents Act must be interpreted alongside the Constitution and that the court must balance the rights of those who hold patents with the rights of those who need access to affordable medicines.

Umunyana Rugege, an attorney for healthcare advocacy group, SECTION27 - which is representing the TAC – says the court has a responsibility to consider the public interest in cases that dealt with patent law and commercial interests.

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