Activists up in arms over Indian patent law

Kenyans living with HIV/AIDS are calling for India to reconsider implementing new legislation that will prevent the production of cheaper, generic anti-AIDS drugs. Despite being banned from marching through the city, a group of protestors handed over a memorandum at the Indian High Commission this weekend, demanding an end to "WTO [World Trade Organisation] dictatorship", the BBC reported. Under WTO rules, India has been forced to protect and enforce drug patents since the beginning of 2005, but activists said the proposed legislation would lead to an increase in the prices of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs, putting the lives of many at risk. As the third largest producer and a major exporter of generic drugs, India has played a crucial part in supplying affordable ARVs to developing countries.