Novartis Response to Oxfam S Report Investing for Life

Novartis response to Oxfam’s report “Investing for Life”

Business & Human Rights Resource Centre invited Novartis to respond to the following items:

Press release: "Pharmaceutical industry is undermining its own future as millions of poor people denied access to medicines", Oxfam, 27 Nov 2007

Full report: “Investing for life - Meeting poor people’s needs for access to medicines through responsible business practices”, Oxfam, 27 Nov 2007

Novartis sent this statement:

10 December 2007

Response from Novartis to the Oxfam report, “Investing for Life”

We agree with Oxfam's view that the pharmaceutical industry is just one stakeholder - along with governments in developed and developing countries, intergovernmental bodies and NGOs - which plays a role in addressing access to medicines in the developing world. The issue is complex, involving factors such as development and health policies, health system infrastructure, pricing, rational use of drugs and adequate funding. Sustained access to treatment cannot be assured by one single organization or sector.

Within these constraints the pharmaceutical industry can and does play its part. The actions of Novartis are proof that patents and pricing do not hinder access to medicines – a main contention of the Oxfam report.

Since the initial “Beyond Philanthropy” report was published in 2002, Novartis has dramatically stepped up production and supply of Coartem. This effective antimalarial treatment is provided on a not for profit basis, in partnership with the World Health Organization, and directly to the parts of the world which need it most.

Our Glivec International Patient Assistance Program provides free of charge Glivec to qualifying patients throughout the world. More than 27,000 patients who would otherwise have gone without this life saving cancer treatment have been helped through the program.

Since 2002, Novartis has also been conducting research into diseases endemic in the developing world through our dedicated research centre in Singapore. With research to find better therapies for killer diseases like tuberculosis, dengue fever and malaria, Novartis intends to make treatments readily available and without profit to poor patients.

There is no "one-size-fits all" model for access. Oxfam focuses only on a few aspects of this complex discussion in its report. Novartis endorses the right to health and believes, as does Oxfam, that more needs to be done by all stakeholder groups to find sustainable solutions.