[Marxistindia] Remdesivir: Break Patent monopoly-Issue Compulsory License

[news from the cpi(m)]

July 5, 2020

Press Statement

The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued  
the following statement:


Remdesivir: Break Patent monopoly-Issue Compulsory License


Gilead Sciences’ anti-viral drug Remdesivir has shown efficacy in  
treating Covid-19 patients. Media reports indicate that the US, which  
is hoarding all drugs found to be useful in combatting the Covid  
pandemic, has bought the entire stock of Remdesivir from Gilead for  
the next three months. It will therefore not be available for the rest  
of the world.

The price of Remdesivir in the US is $3,000 or Rs. 2.25 lakhs, for a  
5-day course. Five Indian companies are in negotiations for  
manufacturing Remdesivir under Gilead’s license. After manufacturing  
in India, Remdesivir will be sold at a ‘concessional’ price of $400 or  
Rs. 30,000-35,000 for the same 5-day course. The cost of manufacturing  
Remdesivir for a full course - as worked out by experts—is less than  
$10 or Rs 750 in the US. And about Rs. 100 in India. Gilead, by virtue  
of its patent monopoly, is holding the world to ransom by asking a  
price that is hundreds of times its cost.

The Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has accelerated the  
approval for the use of Remdesivir in India for Covid-19 patients. But  
with the US buying up the entire stock of Gilead and the high cost due  
to its patent monopoly, Indian patients will either not get the drug,  
or if it is available, find the cost prohibitive.

Under Clause 92 of India’s Patent Act, in whose enactment  the Left  
played a pivotal role, India has the right to issue a compulsory  
license to manufacture the drug in India. Indian generic drug  
manufacturers have the ability and the will to manufacture the generic  
Remdesivir version. Under Clause 92A of the Patent Act, compulsory  
license can even be issued for export to countries that may require  
the drug and not have the capability to manufacture it. Given Gilead’s  
extortionate price for Remdesivir, the Government should immediately  
issue compulsory license to a number of Indian manufacturers. Given  
that India is one of the largest generic drug manufacturers in the  
world, there should be no reason why this drug cannot be made  
available rapidly and at affordable prices to the Indian people.

The PB of the CPI(M) calls upon the central government to immediately  
invoke Clause 92 of the Patent Act and issue a compulsory licence for  
the manufacture of the generic version of this drug, vital to save  
lives and effectively combat the pandemic.

For CPI(M) Central Committee Office