Health Before Wealth global online petition
Sign the petition at www.caa.org.au/health
Will you help change WTO patent rules that are denying life-saving
drugs to some of the world's poorest people?
Every day 37,000 people die from preventable diseases such as
HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis.* Most of these deaths are in
the developing world where many life-saving drugs are unaffordable
because they are patented under rules set by the World Trade
Organisation (WTO).
There is now a strong movement of governments, charities,
churches, activist groups and health bodies urging the WTO to
change these rules to allow countries the right to make vital
medicines more cheaply. However a few rich WTO members -
particularly the United States - are blocking these moves, and
pressurising developing countries to apply even more restrictive
rules at national level.
In the lead-up to the World Trade Organisation meetings in Qatar in
November, Oxfam Community Aid Abroad is participating in a
global online petition, which is urging WTO members, in particular
the US, to demonstrate their commitment to putting people's health
before the profits of powerful drugs companies.
We are trying to collect at least 250,000 signatures worldwide to
present to the WTO meeting in Qatar in November, so time is short
and every signature will help.
Will you help us change the WTO rules?
Add your voice =96 sign our petition at { HYPERLINK http://www.caa.org.au/=
health }www.caa.org.au/health
Please pass this message on to family, friends and colleagues
* Based on figures in the World Health Organisations
World Health report 2000
Anne Martinelli
Advocacy Officer
Oxfam Community Aid Abroad
156 George St, Fitzroy 3065
Ph: (03) 9289 9444
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