Access to cancer medicines in South Africa
In preparation for World Cancer Day 2018, join Kwanele Asante, Chairperson of the Ministerial Advisory Commission on the Prevention and Control of Cancer, in the debate about access to lifesaving medicines and our demand for policy reform. The media roundtable / webinar will be held on Tuesday 30 January at 11am at:
- University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
- iThemba Labs, Cape Town; or
- Online via webinar
Why are we holding this meeting?
Cancer rates in South Africa are expected to rise by as much as 85% by 2030. Rapidly rising medicine prices are adding to this growing cancer burden. In spite of this, our research shows that South Africa routinely grants and upholds patents that could have been challenged and rejected. The result? Some lifesaving medicines are available in other countries at less than half the cost. Many are only available to private sector patients, even though they are on the WHO Essential Medicines list. A revision in South Africa’s intellectual property policy could see the prices of medicines drop by as much as 90%. To commemorate World Cancer Day, Cancer Alliance will be announcing the eight medicines which will be the focus of a concerted two year campaign to change the path of cancer treatment in our country.
Members of the Round Table will include:
Ms Malebona Precious Matsoso, Director General of the National Department of Health and member of the UN High Level Panel on Access to Medicine;
Ms Xolelwa Mlumbi-Peter, Deputy Director General: International Trade and Economic Development Division (ITED) at the dti to discuss intellectual property (TBC);
Professor Paul Ruff, Head of Medical Oncology, University of Witwatersrand, member of MCC, Essential Medicines Committee;
James Love,International patent and access activist, Union for Affordable Cancer Treatment (UACT); and
Sue Johnson, Multiple myeloma survivor
To attend please RSVP to ursula@conversations2.co.za ASAP.
Final venue and login details will be supplied when you RSVP.