We call on the Indian government to reverse course on a series of actions that threaten to undermine the global AIDS response. We are increasingly concerned about the closing space both for the civil society groups that have been critical in the AIDS response nationally and internationally and for the public health-supporting policies that ensure quality, affordable generic drugs for the world. India’s recent policy reversals have serious implications for human rights and access to HIV treatment in India and around the world.
We call on the Indian government to:
• End attacks on the Lawyers Collective and other NGOs and ensure the Foreign Contributions Regulation Act and other laws are not misused for political purposes.
• Implement policies to ensure Indian generic companies cannot be taken over by multinational pharmaceutical companies, thereby eliminating the generic competition people living with HIV and others depend on for affordable medicines.
• Resist pressure from the United States and multinational pharmaceutical companies to eliminate, undermine or cease using the critical public health safeguards in India’s Intellectual Property Laws including strict patent standards, oppositions, and compulsory licensing, that allow India to provide 90% of the world’s antiretrovirals. This includes rejecting TRIPS-plus demands in free trade agreement and bilateral investment treaty negotiations with Europe and in RCEP.
Signed,
Dr. Chris Beyrer, President of the International AIDS Society (IAS)
Dr. Linda-Gail Bekker, President-Elect of the International AIDS Society (IAS)
Dr Julio Montaner, Past President of the International AIDS Society (IAS)
Owen Ryan, Executive Director of the International AIDS Society (IAS)
Justice Zak Yacoob, former Justice, Constitutional Court of South Africa
African Services Committee
AID FOR AIDS
Awethu!
Basic Education for All
The Botswana Network on Ethics, Law, & HIV/AIDS (BONELA)
Center for Health, Human Rights and Development (CEHURD)
Centre for Applied Legal Studies
Centre for Environmental Rights
CHISA
CIVICUS World Alliance for Citizen Participation
Community Based Development Programme
Community Development Fund
Consortium for Refugees and Migrants
Corruption Watch
Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation
EATG
Equal Education
Equal Education Law Centre
Fundacion para Estudio e Investigación de la Mujer
Global Network of People Living with HIV
Health GAP (Global Access Project)
HIV Justice Network
HOPS, Macedonia
HOPS, Macedonia
Human Rights Education Centre
Human Rights Institute of South Africa
IMAXI Cooperative
Indigenous Community of Muslim Women living with HIV
International AIDS Society
International Human Rights Clinic, University of Chicago Law School
ITPC West Africa
KELIN
Kenya Treatment Access Movement
Lawyers for Human Rights
Legal Resources Centre
Liga Colombiana de lucha contra el sida
Media Monitoring Africa
Mujer y salud en Uruguay MYSU
Non-Profit Partnership ESVERO
Pamoja TB Group
Pan-African Treatment Access Movement
People’s Coalition Against Xenophobia
Peoples Health Movement
Professor of Epidemiology
Rural Health Advocacy Project
Sankalp Rehabilitation Trust
SECTION27
Socio-Economic Rights Institute of South Africa
Sonke Gender Justice
SOS Coalition
South African Christian Leadership Initiative
Southern Africa Litigation Centre
SPARSHA Nepal
Spotlight
Stop TB Partnership-Kenya
Student Global AIDS Campaign
Students for Law and Social Justice
Tanzania Network of Women Living with HIV and AIDS
Training Education and Management
Treatment Action Campaign