South Africa’s continued failure to reform its patent laws is restricting access to affordable medicines. The consequences of slow patent reform are also placing further pressure on the public healthcare system. More than 12 years have passed since the “PharmaGate” scandal became public. The scandal exposed an alleged campaign by the pharmaceutical industry to delay and weaken reforms to South…
Tag: Cystic Fibrosis
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Vertex’s Trikafta: Addressing Drug Pricing Issues
Health activists are demanding that the Competition Commission reopen its investigation into pharmaceutical giant Vertex. They argue the company’s pricing and access strategies for its revolutionary cystic fibrosis drug, Trikafta, have created a deep and unjust divide. As a result, the treatment is out of reach for most South African patients. The commission dropped its initial probe into Vertex in…