South Korean Activists 2nd Refutation on Roche Statement

 

In October 6th, Roche sent 2nd statement to Act Up Paris to explain their policy in Korea. Even though Roche’s goal "is to be transparent" in their communications, Korean activists and people living with HIV/AIDS in Korea can not obtain any clear information from the statement. During the international week of action against Roche, Roche not only refuge to engage in dialogue with activists in Korea and but also make no effort to lower a price of Fuzeon. The statement only proves that Roche do not have any intention to supply Fuzeon in Korea. Roche’s strategy is just accusing a failure of Korean government in order to evade their responsibility. It is impossible to find any transparency and responsibility from Roche’s policy.

- "Are Roche particularly interested in connecting with groups who truly represent patient with HIV/AIDS?"

The answer is that Roche has totally ignored the claim of PLWHA in Korea. There are plenty of evidences that PLWHA in Korea has joined the movement to claim the access to Fuzeon. As a global company of high renown, Roche’s excuse about delaying the direct contact with Korean HIV/AIDS groups is very unworthy.

First of all, in July 3rd, when the Korean activists met the president of Roche Korea, Mr. Uls Flueckiger, the representative of PLWHA groups was joined. Even the patient who had desperately needed Fuzeon attended the meeting and tried to explain his pain and suffering, but, Mr. Uls Flueckiger arrogantly refused to listen to his story. 

Secondly, PLWHA groups and activist groups - Korea HIV/AIDS Network of Solidarity, FOR PEOPLE PWLH GROUP LOVE4ONE, Korea HIV/AIDS Positive Federation, NNHAP(Nopi Narara Hiv Aids Positive), HIV/AIDS Human Rights Advocacy Group of Korea NANURI+ - already announced their support to international week of action against Roche.  

Thirdly, from October 1st to 7th, HIV/AIDS activist organized demonstrations at front of the head office of Roche in Seoul. And it is obvious that all of executives and employees of Roche Korea watched our demonstrations. Also, Korean activists’ groups kindly offered official contact details to Roche for productive dialogue.

How Roche can find AIDS groups while they intentionally avoid AIDS groups? 

Moreover, in this life threateningsituation, Roche plans a golf trip to Japan with a purpose to lobby to target whole sale traders in Korea. Whereas Roche has time and resourcesto contact with hundreds of whole sale traders and to pay fancy golf trip, they never tried to respond PLWHA in Korea. Until, today, we still do not have any response from Roche. Instead, they are just searching the "true AIDS groups’ contact". This attitude is nothing but an absolute denial of the claim of PLWHA in Korea.

- What does Fuzeon’s R&D really cost?

What we want is the clear information of R&D cost of Fuzeon and lowering the price. Although Roche suggests transparency as their major principle, they keep hiding the R&D cost of Fuzeon and repeat the deceptive grounds of price increase.If they are so sure about the legitimacy of such a high price, there is no reason that they can not announce the exact number of R&D cost.  

- What is Roche’s new offer to the Korean government?

 Roche not only declares their "attempt to come to a timely resolution" with Korean government but also emphasize Korean government’s roles to "support access to the medicines their citizens need." To accomplish these goals, Roche should understand the public health situation in Korea.

Roche Korea tries to distort the facts related to public health condition in Korea in order to look after their own interest. Roche compels Korean government to accept average price in advanced countries including U.S.A., UK, France, Italia, German, Swiss, and Japan. Setting the price basic of G-7 countries’ price does not apply to Korea any more. Also, in Korea, where the GNI per capita is under $20,000, the Fuzeon’s high price, $22,000 per year, literally means death. In addition, the total budget of national health insurance is not sufficient, so that the health care coverage was just at 60%. It is evident that PLWHA and Korean governmentcan not afford Fuzeon with continuity.            

Roche said that they will reiterate their offer to the Korean government. However, we confirm that in October 7th, Roche sent an official notice to the health authority requesting the price increase of Fuzeon. The price increase can not be a resolution for enhancing the access to treatment. We demand that Roche should bring out the price negotiation process to public sphere.   

- Voluntary Patent Transfer is the answer!

People living in Africa, Asia, Latin America, Eastern Europealso have the right to access essential medicine such as Fuzeon as same as people living in advanced countries. Under the Roche’s marketing policy, 90% of PLWHA in underdeveloped and developing countries can not have a chance to access to Fuzeon.

The president of Roche Korea, Mr. Uls Flueckiger, cynically asserted that a country like Korea has no ability to produceFuzeon even though the patent didn’t block the producing. However, we are firmly convinced that we can do better job to supply Fuzeon as answeringthe worldwide needs to drug than Roche’s monopoly. It is already proved that the combination of Roche and monopoly is very ugly. If Roche will not fulfill their responsibility to supply Fuzeon, they should transfer the patent to a public organization. Holding the drug only in your pocket is the same as murder.     

8th Oct. 2008

Korean Groups of Global Action against Roche

Contact:

Jin-ok

Korean Pharmacists for Democratic Society

3F, 26-1, Ewha-Dong, Chongro-Gu, Seoul, South Korea

Website : http://www.pharmacist.or.kr

E-mail : naengee@hotmail.com

Fax : 82-2-766-6025

Bo-kyung

Nanuri+, Solidarity for HIV/AIDS Human Rights 

Website: http://www.aidsmove.net

E-mail: seobo17@gmail.com

Mobile: 82-16-407-8910