Greg Jefferys,
a 61-year-old historian and author from Australia, hit international
headlines when he flew to Chennai to use generic sofosbuvir to
successfully cure himself of Hepatitis C. He spent 1/100th — just about
$1000 — the amount it would have cost him if he were to use the patented
version. Jefferys has since helped hundreds of patients access the
medicine cheaply from here. Talking to Rema Nagarajan,
Jefferys strongly criticises big pharma and the patent regime that is
putting life-saving medicines beyond the reach of patients and allowing
companies to make 'obscene profits'
Did you have concerns regarding the safety and quality of the Indian Sofosbuvir?
I have no concerns about Indian generics generally. In all areas of the
world, there are issues of quality control and there are good companies
and not-so-good companies. India has some of the largest and best
pharmaceutical manufacturers in the world. I actually get really angry
when doctors in the UK or the US refuse to prescribe life-saving drugs
because they are made in India. It reeks of racism or post-colonial
arrogance! Did you know that I have had dozens of emails from people in
the UK with hep C who have tried to get a prescription for Indian
Sofosbuvir and not one doctor in all of the UK would write it for these
people. But I have had two prescriptions for Indian Sofosbuvir from the
UK. One was from a doctor who had hep C himself and the other was from a
doctor whose best friend had hep C. None other than that! It astounds
me. Tens of thousands of people in the UK are suffering and dying simply
because their GPs refuse to write them a prescription for Indian
generic medicines!
Read more...Labels: big pharma, drugs from India, global access to cheap drugs, Greg Jefferys, limiting access to treatment, profits