Public protest amendment that could raise drug prices

Hundreds of HIV-positive Kenyans and civil society activists marched through the streets of the capital, Nairobi, on Tuesday to protest against proposed amendments to legislation that they say would make their treatment unaffordable. This week, parliament will debate the Miscellaneous Amendments Bill for a second time; it was defeated in 2002. If it were passed, the patent owner would have to give "express consent" for generic versions of drugs to be imported. At present the law allows "parallel importation" by independent distributors in competition with patent holders. "I hope the MPs will reject this Bill, because it would mean people like me, who are HIV-positive, would not be able to continue to access the treatment we need to live longer," said Agneta Oluoch, a teacher from Nairobi's Kibera slum who took the afternoon off to join the march. The demonstration was organised by the United Civil Society Coalition on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, a group of nongovernmental organisations that includes Médecins Sans Frontières and Women Fighting AIDS in Kenya, who are pushing for the right to cheap, if not free, medicines. "Prices of all medication will go up, and we will not be allowed to shop around for the cheapest drugs. We will instead have to negotiate with patent holders for good prices," said James Kamau, coordinator for the Kenya Treatment Access Movement. "How many Kenyans can afford the price of the brand-name drugs?" Kenyan Vice-President Moody Awori spoke to the protestors but appeared to know nothing about the amendment, confusing it instead with an HIV/AIDS Bill scheduled to come before the House later this year. Minister of Trade Mukhisa Kituyi also addressed the demonstrators, telling them he would do whatever he could to ensure the amendment was not passed. Organisers said the march was a success and had raised awareness about the issue. "It is sad that our own MPs do not know about such a dangerous amendment," Kamau commented. "But what we have achieved today is to ensure that they know about it so they will not pass it without studying the Bill."