Cancer drugs developed but not for Indians

• Posted by T Ghosh January 25, 2014 - Filed in Health - #cancer  #medicine  #disease  #medical  - 1,206 views

  

  Global medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres slammed on Friday a statement by Bayer's chief executive that the giant German firm only developed its cancer drug Nexavar for people who could afford the medicine, not "for Indians".
  
  India's controller general of patents angeredBayer in March 2012 when he authorized a local drugmaker to produce a generic copy of Nexavar, saying the German company charged a price that was too costly for most Indians. 

  "We did not develop this medicine (Nexavar) for Indians," ​Marijn Dekkers. "We developed it for western patients who can afford it," Dekkers said, and called the Indian regulator's action "essentially theft". 

  Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) said on Friday that the Bayer chief's remarks summed up "everything that is wrong" with the multinational pharmaceutical industry.

  The Indian government gave local pharmaceutical house Natco Pharma a licence to produce a copy of Nexavar, used to treat liver and kidney cancer, at a 97% discount to the original selling price of the Bayer product in India.