Push for the Patent Pool
Date: 16 Nov 2010
Push for the Patent Pool
What’s the story?
When someone creates anything new, like a specific medicine, they get a patent for it, which means other people can’t use it. At the moment there aren’t any drugs for children living with HIV so they have to take medicine made for adults.
If researchers could get HIV patents they could make medicines for children. If lots of companies shared patents it would mean they would not have to compete and prices of HIV treatment could go down for people in poor countries.
If you want to teach your students about the global epidemic of HIV/AIDS and the ethical choices corporations make and the role of the individual, consider being part of the Push for the Patent Pool Campaign.
STEPS:
Download the Action Card
Side 1: Write ‘Andrew Witty and Dominique Limet’ at the top of the letter. Write your name and address at the bottom. Note: Witty and Limet are the Heads of 2 big pharmaceutical companies.
Side 2: Be creative! Have students write their own message about HIV treatment, the patent pool, or draw your hand on it to show you’re pushing!
Send it to:
Jo Seth-Smith, Push for the Pool, dance4life, Restless Development, 7 Tufton St, London, SW1P 3QB
What happens to all of the cards?
Dance4Life will fill their paddling pool with action cards by World AIDS Day so they can deliver it directly to the pharmaceutical company.
For more information on Dance4Life, click on www.dance4life.co.uk/general/resources
