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Grannies say Canada failing HIV, TB patients in Africa

By: Jen Skerritt

Posted: 11/30/2009 1:00 AM | Comments: 0 (including replies)

A group of Winnipeg grandmothers is urging the federal government to make it easier for generic drug companies to send HIV and tuberculosis drugs to African countries, where epidemics have exploded.Linda Watson, co-chairwoman of Grands 'n' More Winnipeg, said Canada hasn't lived up to its promise to send life-saving medicines to poor countries that can't manufacture the drugs. She said bureaucracy has stonewalled the process. For example, only one shipment of HIV drugs has been sent to Rwanda in the last five years. The intent was to care for 21,000 people for one year.

She and 120 other local grandmothers, who raise money for African grandmothers caring for HIV/AIDs orphans, have collected more than 2,400 signatures on a petition. Their campaign is part of a nationwide push to amend federal legislation.

Currently, generic companies must ask brand-name pharmaceutical companies to agree to release their patented formula each time they want to make a generic version of the medicine to ship to African countries.

Winnipeg North MP Judy Wasylycia-Leis introduced a private member's bill last spring that aims to simplify that process.

The proposed change to the regulations would ensure generic companies only have to apply for a licence to manufacturer a generic version of a patented drug once -- a move Watson says would save time and money.

The bill will be put to a vote after its second reading in the House of Commons on Wednesday.

"We made a promise to the world that we would be part of the solution to these horrible epidemics," Watson said. "And we haven't fulfilled that promise."

In 2003, Canada was the first country to announce it would waive two drug licensing provisions that prevent the export of generic drugs to developing countries. The regulations were part of former prime minister Jean Chrétien's pledge to Africa and were to allow generic drug companies to send medicine for HIV, tuberculosis and malaria to countries that couldn't manufacture the drugs.

Wasylycia-Leis said that promise was broken because the process is too complicated and time-consuming. She worries the small changes that could make the process easier won't pass in the House of Commons because of pressure from pharmaceutical companies.

In an email statement, Rx&D, a lobby group that represents Canada's research-based pharmaceutical companies, said changes to the legislation aren't necessary and would violate international trade law. The statement said the proposed changes would remove a number of "critical checks and balances" related to product safety, price limits and potential for diversion.

jen.skerritt@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition November 30, 2009 B5

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