The ascendency of India as an economic world power

AIDS is perhaps the deadliest disease in the world today. It is spreading across the poor countries in Africa and Asia. Unfortunately AIDS drugs are very expensive. Generic medicines produced in India are the only hope for a longer life for many AIDS victims. Now, Novartis is trying to change the Indian patent law to increase its profit. If the Indian law gets changed then AIDS drugs will be out of reach for many people in the third world countries. Officials of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) or Doctors Without Borders are afraid that if Novartis can persuade Indian authority to change patent law then millions of AIDS victims in Africa will suffer.

Novartis is fighting this case on the ground of intellectual property protection and I believe that the company has a strong case too. On the other hand, the lives of millions of people are at stake. I feel that Novartis and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) should try to reach a middle ground in the problem.

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