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Article

23 Oct 2001

Author:
Oxfam America

Oxfam America calls on U.S. to make anti-anthrax medicine available

Oxfam America is calling on the US to follow the lead of the Canadian government and issue a compulsory license to enable a local US manufacturer to supply Cipro. "The US insistence on protecting Bayer's patents should not be at the expense of people's lives," said Oxfam Senior Policy Advisor Severina Rivera...Oxfam urged the Bush administration to support and not undermine U.S. Secretary of Human Services Tommy Thompson in his intention "to err on the side of caution in making sure people are protected." Thompson announced he is considering asking for legislation that would make it easier to approve generic production of Cipro (ciprofloxacin), which is under patent protection until 2003. This proposal and the immediate importation of generic equivalents from India, for example, would lower the cost to 1/30 of what Bayer charges for Cipro. "This is precisely the kind of policy option the US and every country should have available to it," said Rivera. "However, the US has led the opposition to developing-country attempts to secure these kind of policy options."