Groups Thank Colombia’s Government for Declaring Dolutegravir of Public Interest
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Dr. Guillermo Alfonso Jaramillo Martinez
Health and Social Protection Minister
Republic of Colombia
Dr. Germán Umaña Mendoz
Trade, Industry and Tourism Minister
Republic of Colombia
Dr. María del Socorro Pimienta Corbacho
Industry and Commerce Superintendent
Republic of Colombia
November 20, 2023
Dear Doctors Jaramillo Martinez, Umaña Mendoz and Pimienta Corbacho,
We are representatives of global organizations, as well as intellectual property and public health experts, activists, lawyers, and academics working to make medicines available to those who need them. We write to thank you and the Government of Colombia for issuing a Declaration of Public Interest for dolutegravir and for instructing Colombia’s Patent Office to issue a compulsory license (or make government use of patents) for this life-saving HIV drug. In allowing Colombia to purchase or manufacture generic versions of dolutegravir your landmark decision will reduce the drug’s purchase cost by as much as 80% and save many lives. Your courageous leadership sends a powerful message across Latin America and the world that people’s lives should take precedence over corporate profits and that Colombia stands for health justice.
We value the deliberate and transparent process that led to the Declaration of Public Interest, which involved reviewing 1,500 pages of public comments, including from UNAIDS and the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO). We urge Colombia’s Patent Office to issue the compulsory license as soon as it receives the formal instruction to do so. With the completion of this last step, the Colombian health system will save $45 million in 2023 alone, as the Ministry of Health will immediately be able to purchase generic dolutegravir through the PAHO Strategic Fund and treat 28 patients for the same cost that it currently pays to treat just one.
Colombia’s right to issue compulsory patent licenses to promote the public interest, particularly the right to health, including access to affordable medicines, is supported by international law and policy. Issuing a mandatory license for dolutegravir is entirely consistent with the terms of Colombia’s trade and investment agreements. Colombia’s treaty with the United States, for example, expressly incorporates public health safeguards into the US-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement and preserves Colombia’s right to license patented inventions.
We congratulate the Government of Colombia for your global leadership in ongoing efforts to increase access to affordable medicines. Compulsory licensing remains critical for ensuring access to medicines and health services for all, while also protecting the financial stability of health systems and balancing intellectual property rights with the right to health and life.
We acknowledge your Ministries’ hard work and dedication. As timely access to medicines is vital for the wellbeing of People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), we stress the need to swiftly finalize the licensing process. This will not only benefit the affected population directly, but also underscore the Government of Colombia’s unwavering commitment to the rights of PLWHA and all people.
Sincerely,
Organizations
Public Citizen
People’s Vaccine Alliance
ABIA – Brazilian Interdisciplinary AIDS Association
Access to Medicines Ireland
Acción Internacional para la Salud
AIDS Healthcare Foundation
Aportes para el Desarrollo Humano
Asociación civil Red Nacional de Personas que Viven con VIH y SIDA en Bolivia con la sigla REDBOL
Asociacion Civil Vivo en Positivo – Bolivia – Cochabamba
Asociación Cuenta Conmigo, Costa Rica
Asociación MVVS “Santa Micaela”
Association For Promotion Sustainable Development
AVAC
Cancer Alliance, South Africa
CEPESJU
Child Way Uganda
COALITION OF WOMEN LIVING WITH HIV AND AIDS
Colectivo TLGB Bolivia
CONIGLI BIANCHI
Corporación Casa de Amigos Con Alcance Mundial
Corresponsales Clave
CSYM HUDUMA MBUENET -COALITIONS OF CSO’s -TANZANIA
Disability People’s Forum Uganda
DRC AID
Frontline AIDS
Fundación acción positiva por la vida
Fundacion Huesped, Argentina
Fundamental Human Rights & Rural Development Association FHRRDA
FUNDASIDARTA (Fundación Sida Región Táchira)
GIVAR
GHP Corp.
Global Fund Advocates Network
Global Justice Now
Good Health Community Programmes
Grupo VIhDA Puebla
Health GAP (Global Access Project)
Health Justice Initiative – South Africa
Health Poverty Action
Hope for Future Generations
HURESIC
Institute of Allergy and Clinical Immunology of Bangladesh (IACIB)
ITPC-LATCA
ITPC-LATCA-BOLIVIA
ITPC-MENA
Jóvenes cambiando vhidas
Juntos por la Vida
Just Treatment
Kamukunji Paralegal Trust (KAPLET)
Kamukunji Paralegal Trust (KAPLET) Kenya
Kimirina
Makaoteng Children, Youth and Women Development Centre
Medical IMPACT
Misión Salud
Movimiento de Mujeres Positivas (MM+)
National Fisheries Solidarity Movement
Nepal National Dalit Social Welfare Organization (NNDSWO)
NETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social Justice
NGO Diversa Patagonia
Oxfam International
Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum
PLAPERTS
Public Services International
PrEP4All
PVA Asia / APCASO
PVA LAC
Redbol Bolivia
Salud por Derecho
Sinatsisa Lubombo Women Empowerment
Sojourners
STOPAIDS
Suruwat
Third World Network
Treatment Action Group
Unepca
Wote Youth Development Projects CBO
Young Health Advocates Ghana
Individuals
Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director, Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS); Co-Chair, People’s Vaccine Alliance
Do Dang Dong, Chairman of Vietnam Network of People living with HIV (VNP+)
Dr. Mohga Kamal-Yanni, MPhil, People’s Vaccine Alliance
K M Goakumar, Legal Advisor, TWN
Wim Vandevelde, GNP+
Juan Carlos Rejas Rivero, Founder, Asuncami
Rosa Trigo Acuña, Activista, Juntos por la Vida
Oscar Lanza V, FUNAVI – CODEDCO Bolivia, Emeritus professor – School of Medicine – Universidad Mayor San Andres UMSA – La Paz (Bolivia)
Alejandro Goyret/MD, Prof. Agdo, DURG-LA Member
Reshma Ramachandran, Assistant Professor, Yale School of Medicine
Richard Stern, Independent
Dr. Roman Vega Romero, People’s Health Movement
Javier Pablo Anamaria, Alternate Representative ITPC LATCA, Perú
Claudia Vaca, Profesora Asociada, Centro de Pensamiento “Medicamentos, Información y Poder”, Universidad Nacional de Colombia
Kurt Frieder, Presidente, Fundacion Huesped, Argentina
Margaret Lance, Women In Action Global