Novartis Drug Case: Indian Court Rejects Drug Maker's Attempt To Patent New Version Of Cancer Medicine

NEW DELHI (AP) — India's Supreme Court on Monday rejected drug maker Novartis AG's attempt to patent a new version of a cancer drug in a landmark decision that healthcare activists say ensures poor patients around the world will get continued access to cheap versions of lifesaving medicines.

Novartis had argued that it needed a new patent to protect its investment in the cancer drug Glivec, while activists said the company was trying to use loopholes to make more money out of a drug whose patent had expired.

The decision has global implications since India's $26 billion generic drug industry supplies much of the cheap medicine used in the developing world.

The ruling sets a precedent that will prevent international pharmaceutical companies from obtaining fresh patents in India on updated versions of existing drugs, said Pratibha Singh, a lawyer for the Indian generic drug manufacturer Cipla, which makes a generic version of Glivec.

The court ruled that a patent could only be given to a new drug, she told reporters outside the court.

"Patents will be given only for genuine inventions, and repetitive patents will not be given for minor tweaks to an existing drug," Singh said.

Novartis did not immediately return calls for comment.

The Swiss pharmaceutical giant has fought a legal battle in India since 2006 for a fresh patent for its leukemia drug Gleevec, known in India and Europe as Glivec.

India's patent office had rejected the company's patent application because it was not a new medicine but an amended version of its earlier product. The patent authority cited a legal provision in India's 2005 patent law aimed at preventing companies from getting fresh patents for making only minor changes to existing medicines — a practice known as "evergreening."

Novartis appealed, arguing Glivec was a newer, more easily absorbed version of the drug that qualified for a fresh patent.

Anand Grover, a lawyer for the Cancer Patients Aid Association, which has taken the lead in the legal fight against Novartis, said the ruling Monday prevented the watering down of India's patent laws.

"This is a very good day for cancer patients. It's the news we have been waiting for for seven long years," he said.

Aid groups, including Doctors Without Borders, have opposed Novartis' case, fearing that a victory for the Swiss drugmaker would limit access to important medicines for millions of poor people around the world.

Gleevec, used in treating chronic myeloid leukemia and some other cancers, costs about $2,600 a month. Its generic version was available in India for around $175 per month.

"The difference in price was huge. The generic version makes it affordable to so many more poor people, not just in India, but across the world," said Y.K. Sapru, of the Mumbai-based cancer patients association.

HuffingtonPost

Most Nigerian politicians not God-fearing – Fashola’s wife

Wife of Lagos State Governor, Mrs. Abimbola Fashola, says the majority of Nigerian politicians are not God-fearing and are insensitive to the plight of the citizens.

Fashola said this during the 2013 National Women Prayer Summit organised by Awesome Treasures Foundation in Lagos on Saturday.

She said, “God-fearing persons are the politicians we are looking for in Nigeria. Such leaders are the ones that will love us and do what pleases God and people.

“But if you are a politician and you do not have God in your heart, then you are working on your own and for men.”

Fashola, who led a prayer session, said the myriad of problems in Nigeria today was because the leaders were disconnected from the people.

She urged the leaders to utilise the wealth of the nation for the benefit of the citizens, stressing that until they started to feel the pulse of the governed, things would not get better.

She said the way out of insecurity in the country was simply love, adding that the moment “we love ourselves – the first foundation in the Bible, insecurity will be over”.

She commended Awesome Treasures Foundation for the summit, saying it had raised their spiritual level and acquainted them with things around.

“My message for Nigerians is that they should keep praying, keep working and keep acting your own part well so that we can have a progressive nation,”Fashola said.

Founder and President, ATF, Mrs. Jumoke Adenowo, reminded the audience of the efficacy of prayers, saying Nigerians needed it more than ever before.

She said for the country to make meaningful progress, there was the urgent need to engage in nation building through youth empowerment, prayers, strengthening of institutions and enthronement of upstanding leaders.

She said, “The summit is one of the vehicles the foundation uses to reach out to women and youths across the country. The women are the conscience of the nation and are better equipped to deal with problems if endowed with the proper guidance.

“The ATF is to transform the lives of women and youths in the society through direct intervention in their lives by engaging them in practical goals. This is done by training them in various skills and crafts and providing financial assistance to enable them to set up businesses.”

Punch Nigeria

Hopes Dashed As President Jonathan Again Pushes Forward Timeline For Stable Electricity

President Goodluck Jonathan has again pushed forward the timeline for his administration’s pledge to deliver improved power supply, telling Nigerians Sunday they would continue to live with epileptic electricity supply at least until 2014.

Mr. Jonathan made the comment on Sunday after his Easter message at Our Saviour’s Anglican Church, Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos, was interrupted by power outage.

Electricity went off midway into the president’s 10-minute speech, and he was thereafter  handed a battery-powered microphone to continue.

In response to the development, Mr. Jonathan expressed the hope that the country would put the problem of epileptic power supply behind it by 2014. He was however not definite about it.

“They know that I’m here; that’s why they took light, at least to remind me that I must not sleep until we stabilise power. God willing, next year they will not take light,” Mr. Jonathan said into the battery-powered microphone as a former Head of State, Yakubu Gowon, and other worshippers looked on.

The president’s declaration on Sunday suggests the country might know no end to the poor electricity supply situation that has crippled it for years.

Mr. Jonathan’s administration has made countless promises and set several deadlines to arrest the tide, and on each occasion, it has failed to deliver.

As recent as January 24, Mr. Jonathan said in an interview with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour electricity would be “relatively stable” before end of 2013.

“This is one thing that even if you have the money and the political will you cannot do it over night. So we are working very hard to make sure before the end of this year power supply is relatively stable,” the president said when Ms Amanpour asked him about the nauseating electricity supply power level in the country.

On August 28, 2012, Mr. Jonathan assured Nigerians they would feel the full impact of his government’s achievements by 2013.

Speaking at the 52nd Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Abuja, the president described himself as “the most criticised president in the world,” saying by 2013, he would be the “most praised” in the world.

At the Easter event in Lagos, the president again assured that the country would overcome its current challenges and urged citizens to continue to pray for the country, even as he reminded worshippers of Mr. Gowon’s famous civil war quote, “Keeping Nigeria one is a task that must be done”.

The president said, ““We have our challenges as a nation in these days of terrorism. It’s quite sad. I can assure you that we are working very hard and we will continue to work very hard and God willing terror attacks will not divide this country.

“We have our challenges as a nation but we must go to where we want to go. As the president, by the grace of God and your good will, I promise, I will do my best. I will not disappoint Nigerians within limitations of our resources. We will fix our infrastructure.”

“I sincerely thank all of you and all the Christians in Nigeria for your prayers. It would have been worse if you have not been praying. This country has passed through a lot. I know all those last days of military transition to the regime that handed over power to Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo at the time the country was drifting, it didn’t know where it was going.

“We had political environments that we didn’t even know where we were transiting to. But with the persistent prayers by you, Christians, God stabilised the country. God will continue to stabilise this country. God will continue to keep us together. I promise you as a mortal, I will do my best.”

Naij.com

2015: PDP govs give conditions for reconciliation

For peace and genuine reconciliation to reign in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the state governors have given four conditions which President Goodluck Jonathan and the party’s stakeholders must embrace.

Specifically, the PDP governors are demanding for the removal of the National Chairman of the party, Dr. Bamanga Tukur, and dissolution of the National Working Committee, NWC.

Also, the governors want a commitment that the existing state executives of the PDP will not be dissolved before the 2015 elections. As part of the demand, the governors want to be given a free hand in installing their successors.

More importantly, the governors want assurance of safety nets; that they will not be harassed and prosecuted after leaving office in 2015.

No fewer than 16 of the 23 PDP governors would be leaving office in 2015 after serving out two terms of four years each.

Most Nigerian governors after completing their terms have faced a raft of corruption cases brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission, ICPC.

A member of the reconciliation committee led by the party’s BoT chairman, Chief Tony Anenih, told National Mirror at the weekend that these were the aggregate views of the governors.

“In the last few days, we have met some governors, who were very frank about their reservations with the PDP. We have met with about five of the governors and the general consensus among them is that Tukur must go for peace to reign in PDP.

“The governors also gave conditions such as allowing them to pick their successors in the 2015 election. The issue of life after 2015 is another major factor. They want assurance that the government would not prosecute them after leaving office,” the source said.

Another highly placed source said that the governors are not bending on their opposition to Tukur. According to him, they can’t trust the national chairman.

“If the governors can’t have control over their state party executives, then they are finished. So, they must fight it out. This is what is happening now,” the source said.

Even after Anenih and Governor Babangida Aliyu held a closed-door meeting last week, the Niger State Governor said Tukur remains PDP’s biggest headache.

Impeccable sources told National Mirror that President Jonathan is giving the dissolution of the Tukurled NWC serious thought.

Already, associates and aides of the President, who are keen on his return in the 2015 elections are rooting for Tukur’s exit to bring the governors and other stakeholders on board of the Jonathan’s project.

A source also said that one of the reasons Jonathan’s aides are advancing for the dissolution of the NWC was that the composition of the national executives does not favour the President.

Until the removal of the National Secretary, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, and National Auditor, Bode Mustapha, former President Olusegun Obasanjo allegedly had six members of the 12-member NWC in his camp. The Deputy National Chairman, Dr. Sam Jaja, is the candidate of Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State while the National Organising Secretary is the nominee of Vice-President Namadi Sambo.

The relationship between the Presidency and Tukur has since last week gone sour. A source in the Presidency told National Mirror that President Jonathan is unhappy over Tukur’s comments on the state of insecurity in the country.

In an interview with journalists, Tukur had declared that Nigeria is under siege.

He had said: “Today, there is fear everywhere, churches are being burnt, mosques are being attacked, United Nations building bombed, motor parks are being bombed, people cannot go to motor parks again to travel for the fear of being attacked, security installations such as police stations, prisons are being burnt down and inmates released at will, nobody knows the next target of attack.

“Surely our nation is under siege. It is not the question of PDP, ACN, CPC or any political party or any religion, the truth is that Nigeria is under siege therefore all of us must come together and face this challenge.

“It is not about the PDP or President Goodluck Jonathan; this is a matter that should be of concern to everybody irrespective of political, ethnic or religious affiliations. The opposition, labour movement, religious leaders, traditional rulers, name it; we all have to come to fight the evil that is now manifesting everywhere in our land, those perpetuating this evil are within us in the society, it is not a matter of Mr. President or the PDP-led Federal Government alone.”

The Presidency sees this as an indictment on the Jonathan administration.

“The development is a source of worry for the President. Initially, he was not given in to the call for Tukur’s removal, but now President Jonathan is weighing the options. There is now 50-50 chance for Tukur’s removal,” the source said.

It was learnt that some close political associates of the President are already searching for the successor to Tukur. Initially, Ambassador Hassan Adamu was being considered by the president but the age factor has disqualified him. The Presidency is searching for a competent and experienced administrator with vast political experience from the North East as Tukur’s replacement,” a source close to the President said.

It was learnt that two options are left for Tukur. One, he may honourably resign before the mid-term convention or be removed at the convention in 2014.

“That is if he survives a vote of no confidence that may be passed on him at the National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting which he has refused to call. Any time the NEC is called, the governors may finally move against the Tukur-led NWC,” a source said.

A senior member of the PDP told our correspondent that the mid-term convention may hold earlier to change the party’s leadership.

But the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, said he was unaware of the plot to sack the party’s NWC. “I’m completely unaware of this plan. It is uncalled for. These reports are being sponsored. It is a coordinated attack on the leadership of the party. But there is no truth in it,” Metuh told National Mirror yesterday.

TalkOfNaija

Todd Akin, Allen West Lavished Government Money On Staff After Losing Reelection

WASHINGTON -- After Todd Akin lost the Missouri Senate race to Democrat Claire McCaskill in November, he had one final piece of business to take care of as an outgoing member of the House of Representatives -- giving piles of government money to his staff. Akin nearly doubled the salaries of his House staffers in the quarter after his defeat, according to the website LegiStorm, which tracks congressional pay.

Only retiring Democrat Gary Ackerman of New York was more generous with public money, barely topping Akin's 98 percent increase in pay, the website shows. Allen West, a Tea Party favorite from South Florida, was the fourth biggest giver of taxpayer bonuses after he lost reelection to Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-Fla.). Rep. Chip Cravaack (R-Minn.) was the third most generous, according to LegiStorm.

West and Akin routinely decried wasteful and out-of-control government spending, calling for major cuts to social programs.

Of the top 10 members of Congress most generous with year-end bonuses, nine were Republicans, and 14 of the top 20 were, not coincidentally, on their way out of the House.

Republican Reps. Devin Nunes (Calif.), Steve Austria (Ohio), Steve LaTourette (Ohio), Bob Turner (N.Y.), Roscoe Bartlett (Md.) and Jon Runyan (N.J.) rounded out the top 10 in 2012.

When Democrats lost a historic number of seats in 2010, outgoing members of the party lavished their staff with unspent money, with 18 of the top 20 givers carrying a D next to their name.

House staffers typically get bonuses at the end of the year depending on how much is left in the office budget, but on average in 2012 those bumps were just 16.4 percent for Republicans and 15.1 percent for Democrats. Bonuses are not labeled as such in the congressional books, but LegiStorm is able to count them by comparing the increase in reported salary in the fourth quarter to the average of the first three quarters.

HuffingtonPost

Foluke Daramola, Kayode Salako’s marriage on fire after few weeks

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There is nothing as frustrating as having your newly built matrimonial home threatened by a friend who turned enemy overnight!

The home of recently married actress, Foluke Daramola and activist, Kayode Salako  is presently under fierce attack.  A lady journalist and founder of Lady of Africa Empowerment and Advocacy Foundation, Bukola Fasuyi, who claimed she introduced Foluke to the husband, Kayode, has come out to reveal the marriage was built on deceit and lies.

Bukola Fasuyi claims that Foluke has really offended her. “Foluke is an ungrateful element to me. I actually introduced her to Kayode, who,  for a very long time was my toaster but I told him I could not date him because I was not really interested and there was really no feeling for him. I told him I was not really interested because I was in a relationship.

About the same time, Foluke  had asked me to introduce her to someone who could help, so I introduced Kayode to her. I know he spends a lot on women, at least, he was dating a lady Princess Bimbo Olagunju, and he was spending so much to keep the girl. The same Princess knew how much Kayode liked me but I was not interested. So precisely February 13, 2012, I introduced Foluke to Kayode at Mama’s Place in Omole, Ikeja.

I remember that I met Kayode during the  hey days of Fasholamania, his campaign project for Governor Babatunde Fashola. I believed in the project and I knew he was committed to it not because he was getting any money. Anyway, Kayode and Foluke met, they were supposed to date each other but I never advised her to go and destroy Kayode’s home built over 15 years. I know Kayode dated Princess Abimbola currently in Dublin, but she never ventured to destroy his home.

They dated for about five years, yes, the wife knew, the heat was so much. They had issues about that but it never got to marrying him and sending his wife away. Princess knew Kayode wanted me, she knew I could displace her but I remained his friend.

But because he was always telling us about his home, the areas his wife failed, Foluke worked on it and the result is the marriage which I advised her not to go into.  I have conscience, fine as a friend, I wanted the best for my friend (Foluke), but I know she threatened the home of Kayode, she was calling him at home at odd times, telling him how much she loved him.  The next day after they met, he sent N100, 000, that week, he sent more money, about N500,000. The money came at a time Foluke had accommodation problem in Marwa’s Garden, so he secured an apartment for her.

At a point, I called Foluke that why had Kayode’s wife barely left her home  that you started to sleep in his Omole house?  I tried to advise her that she should not marry the guy, that all she should do was get his assistance; I told her she should put herself in the wife’s shoes. Since she realised I was advising her, she withdrew from me, she started to avoid me.  Yes, he was having issues with his wife but that was not enough to move in. On few occasions, he insisted he was still in love with his wife. I strongly advised her against such moves but she went ahead with the marriage plans. I remember that even while dating Foluke, he had issues with her, he complained about her lifestyles, that she was a fraudster bla, bla, but as a true friend I have to step in.  Kayode had wanted to go away.”

And here’s the best part ‘‘… Yes, I know all she did that the marriage eventually came up, I was actually with her to those places, yes, we went together and I’m waiting for her response and if she responds or denies my claim, then I will go all out to fight her. I’m ready to release all the pictures of the places we went together.  I’m fighting her because she does not have conscience at all, I’m fighting her because she’s a desperado, I’m fighting  her because she’s an ungrateful element. I never collected any money for introducing her to Kayode, ask her if I did but I told her ‘don’t marry this guy, think about his home.’

‘‘Now I’m worried, my conscience is troubling me, I’m worried about the fact that I was indirectly or directly involved in the circumstance that led to the break of Kayode’s marriage. I don’t think Foluke should have gone this far, there are many factors involved, it was not ordinary and I want to  tell the world that she does not deserve that man, I want to tell the world that I’m sorry that I did this to him and his family. I never advised Foluke to marry him; I just wanted him to help her out of her stormy life. I owe Kayode’s wife an apology and I know that I will go to her and say sorry soon. But before then, I owe it a duty to tell the world Foluke does not deserve Kayode and as the friend that introduced her to him, I’m sorry.’’

Asked why she’s spilling the bean now, she said “I just want the world to know the role I played that I merely introduced her to Kayode to assist her, not to marry him.

Yes, the wife made some mistakes too; I’m putting all these in a book I’m writing soon. It’s not enough for you to decline the advice or suggestions of your husband on how he wants you as his wife to dress. Why should the wife turn the hubby’s invitation to go out together down?  Her claim that she’s a pastor and not cut out to live a life in the social circuit leaves room for the other women to step in.  For Kayode, he got carried away, he loves the fact that Foluke brings him to spotlight, that makes him a newsmaker of sorts. Yes, I know I’m guilty, that’s why I’m saying I’m sorry.”

Meanwhile Kayode Salako has this to say ‘‘Bukola is a devil’s agent and please don’t mind her. Yes, she introduced Foluke to me but she should step aside now that we are married. She claimed Foluke is using juju on me, but you know what?  If that is true, I, Kayode Salako will know. I’m a real man. But if truly she’s using Juju, I need more of her juju, you know why, she has added value, brought me a lot of blessings.

He recalled how she met Bukola who introduced her to Foluke. “Yes, when I came back from abroad, I met Bukola, then I was lonely, my life was boring and we met. I liked her because she was so passionate about my Fasholamania’s project, she showed a lot of enthusiasm and we got so close, it was at a time my wife was very boring, so I asked her out, but she declined. She told me that she liked me but she would not date me for two reasons:  one that her intentions will be misconstrued, two, it will be a burden on her that she will love me  to the extent that she would love to marry me  but that she had a friend,  an actress, that she’s different from the pack. She gave her name as Foluke Daramola. Really, I never believed her that she could introduce Foluke to me. She’s one of the very few actresses I admired.

Eventually, we met at Mama’s Place.  Shortly after she called Foluke to join us and she did. We had fun, wined and dined together. That was all that night.  The rest as they say is history. I don’t know why she’s into this  campaign of calumny now. Why call Foluke names? What has she done to her?  If Foluke is into juju, she should be a millionaire like  some of her colleagues whose lifestyles are well known to us. I met Foluke  a poor  girl with  her sanity and pride  intact. I don’t know what she wants from all these. Foluke’s life is an open book and I like it. I have taken my decision and the action  to live the rest of my life with Foluke and I’m ready to face the consequences of my action.

Foluke Daramola also reacted saying “Yes, Bukola came to me, she told me about her project and that she needed money. She believed I have so much that I should be given her now.  But there is one thing about me; my life is an open book. I will not respond more than that. Let her go ahead with her tales. I know I have done no wrong. I appreciate the fact that she introduced me to Kayode but that does not mean she has to continue to call the shot. It’s just important she steps aside now that we are married. That should not hurt.”

DailyPost

"Evil Forces Behind Boko Haram"

Primate of the Church of Nigeria, (Anglican Communion), Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh, yesterday stated that there was an evil force behind the Boko Haram sect.

Okoh said this in his sermon, titled “Alleluia! Christ is Risen”, at the Easter Sunday service of the Cathedral Church of the Advent, Life Camp, Gwarimpa, Abuja.

He said the dreaded group is challenged to the good fortunes of Nigeria., assuring that it shall soon become history.

The cleric compared the killings in the north to the battle of the Roman Empire with the new order, which was Christ Jesus.

Okoh noted that since Jesus Christ overcame his trials, the country too would rise one day above its problems..

In his words: “The problem had been holding us down that we will not make progress, right from the independence, if you consider the trouble we have gone through, the number of people who died during the civil war.

 

“Now some groups have decided that, there will be no rest, killed and killed and killed, something is instigating them. There is power that we do not see that is trying to hijack the destiny of Nigeria.

“We may look at them as foreign intervention, we may look at them as people from within, there is evil force that is trying to hijack our destiny. And this was the same in the time of Jesus Christ, the old order was struggling with the new order, Jesus was producing the new order of life by bringing people to God, and this old order (the Jews and the Roman Empire)was pulling it down.

Naij.com