We would like to state our concern about your decision last December, increasing Norvir/Ritonavir prices in 400%.

This decision, which was based in no explanation, will cause harm to the health and life of many citizens living with HIV/AIDS in the USA.

This example clearly shows that the current kind of protection to industrial property, based on monopolies, allows economical abuses like the one you have performed.

We are also concerned because this example of yours could be extended to other drugs, making difficult the access to anti-retroviral treatment in the developing countries. In Brazil, Norvir/Ritonavir is locally produced, so we know you will not do the same with this drug, because there is a local generic competitor for it. But many other drugs are not produced here due to the patent laws demanded by WTO (World Trade Organization) and by the US government too, which remains silent and complacent with these procedures.

We hope the US activists organized by AIDS Treatment Activists Coalition and Citizen Action and other AIDS groups, who has been demonstrating at several US cities, will sensitize Abbott about such an inhuman behavior, for the benefit of PWHIV/AIDS in the US and in all the world.

Yours Sincerely,

GTPI/REBRIP

This is a statement signed by the organizations that take part in the workgroup on Intellectual Property from Brazilian Network for the People's Integration (GTPI/REBRIP).

Contact: Carlos Passarelli (passarelli@alternex.com.br), project advisor from Brazilian Interdisciplinary Aids Association (ABIA) and Jorge Beloqui (beloqui@ime.usp.br), from Group for Life Incentive (GIV).