Issue Day this Weekend

Come learn about social issues that people on CMU's campus are passionate about! This event is free for students, faculty, and staff, and at low cost to those outside the campus! Cmich UAEM is presenting at three sessions throughout the day, and featuring an extremely important petition for the student body! Register on orgsync at https://orgsync.com/26702/events/271378/show!!!!

National Conference Twitter Updates

Check our Twitter @cmich_uaem for updates on UAEM national conference. We will be updated periodically today, for all those not joining us in Baltimore!

Novartis Hits the Heart of the Access Problem

As one wonderful example of the problem of equal access, and how exactly patents play a role, this article could not play a better role. Novartis, the company which holds the patent on the Leukemia drug Glivec, is currently in a Supreme Court battle over renewing a patent on Glivec in India after making a slight change to the drug. Indian patent law states that no patent held before 1995 (when India was forced into recognizing patents) are considered valid. Glivec was originally patented in 1993, which left Indian generic companies to provide the drug for $174 a month. The "brand name" price is over ten times that amount! Renewing the patent would put a halt on the generic production on Glivec in India. Luckily, the renewal of a patent in India is only acceptable if there has been a hugely significant therapeutic change in the newest patented version of the drug, so its not like they could just walk in and open a new patent. All we can do is hope that their case does not go through, or else access to this much needed product will be restricted in mass proportions. Take a look at this article for more information: Click Here

Hopefully the patients' rights groups in India will make a strong enough case to keep Glivec in the hands of the people who need it, not just those who can afford it.

-Justin

UAEM at CMU has set their dates for Meetings.

Meetings will be taking place every other Tuesday at 8pm in location TBD. The next meeting will be September 13th. As always, people from every major are encouraged to come and check out the group. There is a place for everyone in the fight 4 equal access, and UAEM reflects that.