Patent claim on hepatitis C drug questioned in many countries

Author(s): Kundan Pandey @kundanmcu 

With hepatitis C killing at least 700,000 people every year, civil society has strengthened efforts to make the drug accessible

Activists protest exorbitant pricing of Sovaldi, a hepatitis C drug sold by Gilead (Photo courtesy: Nick St Charles/Flickr)

American biotech company, Gilead Sciences, Inc., is facing the heat in five countries over its patent claim for the Hepatitis C drug, sofosbuvir, marketed under brand name Sovaldi.

Civil society groups in Argentina, Brazil, China, Russia and Ukraine have challenged the patent claim, accusing Gilead of seeking a patent on existing public knowledge. The groups claim it is an abuse of patent laws.

The Initiative for Medicines, Access and Knowledge (I-MAK) and its partners, including Grupo de Trabalho sobre Propriedade Intelectual (GTPI), All-Ukrainian Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS, Treatment Preparedness Coalition and Fundación Grupo Efecto Positivo (Fundación GEP), have filed a series of new patent challenges in recent weeks. 

“The global criteria for patents are clear. They are reserved for drugs that are proven to be novel, non-obvious and useful,” said Tahir Amin, I-MAK co-founder and director of intellectual property. “By seeking exclusivity on science that is already in the public domain, Gilead is acting like a landlord charging exorbitant rent for property it doesn’t legitimately own.”

Though it has impressive medical benefits, sofosbuvir was developed using previously published information and an existing compound, says the statement published by I-MAK. I-MAK challenged the patent claim last year with Médecins du Monde in Europe and with the Delhi Network of Positive People in India. The patent claim for sofosbuvir is still pending in India.

“In the face of an escalating global public health crisis affecting 150 million people, illegitimate patents are blocking people with hepatitis C from the treatment they need to survive and get well,” said Priti Radhakrishnan, I-MAK co-founder and director of treatment access. 

“By freeing sofosbuvir from unjustified patents, we can fight this deadly disease and get more people the medicine they need to live healthy, productive lives. Millions of lives are at stake—especially in middle-income countries like Brazil, Argentina and Ukraine, where the disease is concentrated,” she added.

The hepatitis C virus, which the World Health Organization (WHO) has called a “viral time bomb”, affects around 150 million people globally. When left untreated, the virus can lead to liver disease or liver cancer, which kills approximately 700,000 people each year. In Argentina, Brazil, China, India, Russia and Ukraine, the diseased has reached epidemic proportions, with more than 59 million people affected by the virus. 

Earlier this month, WHO added hepatitis C treatment drugs, including sofosbuvir, to its list of essential medicines and called for lower prices to help every person who needs the medicine to get it.

The civil society groups say Gilead is demanding up to $1,000 per pill, an amount that is out of reach for most people in the United States. The price will be similarly exorbitant in developing countries too, where most people with hepatitis C live.

In the last 15 months alone, Gilead has posted record-breaking profits of $16 billion—thanks in large part to sales of sofosbuvir.  

A recent University of Liverpool study found that generic manufacturers could produce a 12-week treatment course for as little as $101.

Deepwater Horizon oil spill contributed to dolphin deaths

Author(s): DTE Staff @ 

US government study finds petroleum contaminants likely source of lung, adrenal lesions

Researchers record data and photograph a dead dolphin stranded along the Port Fourchon Louisiana coastline following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. (Photo: Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries)

The explosion of British Petroleum’s Deepwater Horizon oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 had a deadly effect on bottlenose dolphins. A study by US’ National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) says that lung and adrenal lesions found on dead bottlenose dolphins along the coastline of the gulf are consistent with petroleum product exposure.

“This is the latest in a series of peer-reviewed scientific studies, conducted over the five years since the spill, looking at possible reasons for the historically high number of dolphin deaths that have occurred within the footprint of the Deepwater Horizon spill,” said Teri Rowles, veterinarian and one of 22 contributing authors on the paper, and head of NOAA’s Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program, according to an NOAA news release dated May 20.

 The study, published in journal PloS One on May 20, shows that half of the dead dolphins examined from Barataria Bay, which lies in the Gulf of Mexico, had a thin adrenal gland cortex. This indicates adrenal insufficiency.  In comparison, only 7 per cent of the dead stranded reference dolphins, collected from coastal regions outside the Deepwater Horizon oil spill area and time frame, had a thin adrenal cortex.

“The timing, location, and nature of the detected lesions support that contaminants from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill caused these lesions and contributed to the high numbers of dolphin deaths within this oil spill’s footprint,” says the press release.

Lithuania, Latvia ranked as world’s top environmental democracies

Author(s): DTE Staff @ 

luated the availability of information and public participation related to environment matters in 70 countries

Lithuanians can access environmental information on request and can approach the court whenever such information is refused, the index says (Photo courtesy: Steve Haslam/Flickr)

Lithuania, Latvia and Russia have emerged as the top three countries in the Environmental Democracy Index (EDI) for enacting laws that promote transparency, accountability, and citizen engagement in environmental decision-making.

The index, launched by US-based research organisation World Resources Institute and the Access Initiative, evaluated environmental law-making in 70 countries. Laws and practices in these countries were assessed by more than 140 lawyers and international experts.

The United States, South Africa, the United Kingdom, Hungary, Bulgaria, Panama and Colombia also made it to the top 10. India was ranked 24th, with an above average score of 1.65, while China was ranked 39th, just below average. Among African countries, Kenya and South Africa scored above average, but Tanzania, Uganda, Nigeria and Ghana were below the average mark.

The index found that five of the top 10 countries were signatories of the1998 Aarhus Convention which requires countries to provide everyone with the right to access environmental information and participate in environmental decision-making.

While 93 per cent of all 70 countries have established the right to environmental information, almost half of them have not ensured that access to such information is affordable and timely. The index also found that most countries performed poorly when it came to laws on public participation.

“With a number of critical moments in environment and sustainability in 2015, advancing good governance and environmental rights are essential. This index is a powerful lever that will help governments to become more transparent and ordinary citizens to advocate for more rights,” said Mark Robinson, global director for governance, World Resources Institute, in a press release.

The index also helps assess environmental laws and rights being enacted on the ground.

Killer heat wave engulfs Telangana and Andhra Pradesh

Author(s): M Suchitra

Local media reports say that, in all, more than 300 people have died due to the weather in both states

File photo (Courtesy: Ravikan Rao/Wikipedia)

At least 207 people in Telangana and 130 in Andhra Pradesh are reported to have died in the heat wave that has engulfed the states for the past two days, according to local media reports.
In Telangana, 147 people died yesterday, and today’s death toll has reached 60. In Andhra Pradesh, more than 50 people are reported to have died today.

These figures have not been confirmed by the government. National media reports put the death toll at around 50 in Telangana and around 20 in Andhra Pradesh.

All ten districts of Telangana have recorded day temperatures of at least 42°C. Bhupalapalli in Warnagal district is sizzling at 50°C. Suryapet in Nalgonda district recorded a temperature of 46°C. Hyderabad recorded 44.3°C, the highest in five years.

Temperatures are expected to hover around 47°C in both states over the next two days. Met department officials have urged people not to venture out of their homes during the day

CURRENT AFFAIRS MAY/23/2015

CURRENT AFFAIRS MAY/23/2015
• India ranks 24th in Environmental Democracy Index
  • India ranks 24th in the environmental democracy index from the World Resources Institute (WRI) which tracks how 70 countries around the world including 75 legal and 24 practice indicators, based on recognised international standards. 
  • The index evaluates whether Governments are enacting national laws to promote transparency, accountability, and citizen engagement in environmental decision making
  • The top ten countries based on national laws are: Lithuania (EDI rank #1), Latvia (2), Russia (3), United States (T-4), South Africa (T-4), United Kingdom (6), Hungary (7), Bulgaria (8), Panama (9) and Colombia (10)
  • This index is a powerful lever that will help governments to become more transparent and ordinary citizens to advocate for more rights
  Key findings from the index :-
  1. 93% of the ciuntries have established the right to environmental information
  2. The Laws on public participation lag behind in many countries out of the vast majority of countries assessed (79%) earned only fair or poor ratings for public participation.
  3.  Most of the courts will hear environmental cases:- Nearly 73 % of the countries assessed  will hear environmental cases. Very few countries assessed have assistance for marginalized groups only 14% have legal mechanisms that help women access courts to obtain redress when their environmental rights are violated.
  4. Most of the countries lag on providing citizens basic environmental information that is nearly half (46%) of countries assessed do not provide any ambient air quality data online for their capital cities.
  Extra Knowledge (EK) :-
  There are three key policies relating to environmental protection in India. They are:-
  1. The National Forest Policy, 1988
  2. Policy statement for Abatement of Pollution, 1992
  3. National Conservation Strategy and Policy Statement on Environment and Development, 1992
  How is ‘Environment’ defined under Indian Law?
  According to Section 2(a) of the Environmental Protection Act, 1986, ‘Environment’ includes :-
  a) Water, air and land 
  b) The inter-relationship which exists among and between,
  i) water, air, land, and
  ii) human beings, other living creatures, plants, microorganisms and property
• India-Singapore bilateral naval exercise SIMBEX-15 commenced in Singapore from May 23-26
  • SIMBEX-15, a bilateral naval exercise between Singapore Navy and Indian Navy commenced  from May 23-26 at Singapore 
  • Two Indian naval ships, INS Satpura and INS Kamorta, are participating in the bilateral naval exercise 
  • As a part of this deployment, INS Satpura, an indigenously built guided missile stealth frigate, commanded by Captain Hari Krishnan and INS Kamorta, the latest and indigenous anti-submarine warfare (ASW) corvette, commanded by Commander Manoj Kumar Jha, had reached Singapore on May 18.
  • These ships participated in IMDEX-15 and are now conducting SIMBEX-15 being held from May 23-26.
  • Along with Satpura and Kamrota, Long Range Maritime Reconnaissance Anti Submarine (LRMRASW) aircraft P 8I will also participate in the exercise.
  • The  naval exercise will strengthen bilateral ties and enhance inter-operability between navies of the two friendly nations," the statement added.
• Indian film ‘Masaan’ wins  critics prize at Cannes
  • Indian director Neeraj Ghaywan's project Masaan, which centres around a group of people in Varanasi, has won the prestigious critics prize in the Un Certain Regard category, which runs parallel to the competition for the main prize, Palme d’Or, at the 68th Cannes Film Festival, the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) announced on 24th May
  • The film set in Varanasi, follows the lives of a young orphan (Nikhil Sahni), a low-caste teenage boy (Vicky Kaushal) who falls in love with an upper-caste girl (Shweta Tripathi), her father (Sanjay Mishra) and a woman (Richa Chadha) caught in a sex scandal. Masaan is Hindi word for crematorium, where the teenage boy works. As their stories collide, in girl's father who is fighting a taboo, the young orphan finds an unlikely father figure
  • Masaan is  a joint production of Manish Mundra, Macassar Productions, Arte France Cinema, Sikhya Entertainment & Phantom Films
  • Films, stars newcomers like Vicky Kaushal and Shweta Tripathi, along with Sanjay Mishra and Richa Chadda
  • Ghaywan previously assisted Anurag Kashyap on Gangs Of Wasseypur
• Union Cabinet clears Rs 3,090-cr PSLV continuation programme
  • The union cabinet gave its approval for the continuation of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) programme for 15 operational flights (PSLV-C36 to PSLV-C50)
  • The programme will cost Rs. 3,090 crores and "enable launch of satellites required for earth observation, navigation and space sciences along with the possibility of clinching commercial launch service contracts
  • The PSLV programme approved will meet the demand of launching satellites at a frequency of four to five launches per year, with a greater focus on enhancing the level of participation by the Indian industry 
  • All the 15 operational flights would be completed during the period 2017-2020 
  • Currently the  PSLV operational flights that were sanctioned in 2008, are being utilised to meet the satellite launch requirements.
  Extra Knowledge (EK) :-
  About PSLV :-
  • The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle,commonly known by its abbreviation PSLV, is an expendable launch system developed and operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). It was developed to allow India to launch its Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) satellites into Sun synchronous orbits, a service that was, until the advent of the PSLV, commercially available only from Russia. PSLV can also launch small size satellites into geostationary transfer orbit (GTO).
  • As of 2014 the PSLV has launched 71 spacecraft (31 Indian and 40 foreign satellites) into a variety of orbits. Some notable payloads launched by PSLV include India's Chandrayaan-1 lunar probe and the Mars Orbiter Mission
  Importance of  PSLV :-
  • PSLV has made the country self-reliant in the launching capability of satellites for earth observation, disaster management, navigation and space sciences
  • PSLV Continuation Programme will sustain this capability and self-reliance in the launching of similar satellites for national requirements.
  • PSLV has emerged as a versatile launch vehicle to carry out Sun-Synchronous Polor Orbit (SSPO), Geo-synchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) and low inclination Low Earth Orbit (LEO) missions
• 'Blast-proof' wallpaper developed by US Army
  • US army has developed "Blast-proof" wallpaper that could protect soldiers from explosions.
  • A Rolls of lightweight sticky wallpaper, lined with tough Kevlar fibres that can be carried easily by troops to reinforce the walls of temporary buildings
  • The lining reduces the amount of debris sent flying at the occupants of a building in the event of an explosion.
  • What makes it unique is it can be quickly and easily applied by non-specialised units at short notice. It provides significant potential tactical advantages.
  • The ballistic wallpaper was displayed at the first Department of Defense Lab Day among 100 innovations from US Army engineers
  Extra Knowledge (EK) :-
  • In US Defense's most advanced research and development goes on at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), where work is underway on everything from a jet that shoots across the sky at Mach 20 to disaster-response robots. 
  • The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has approximately 37,000 dedicated Civilians and Soldiers delivering engineering services to customers in more than 130 countries worldwide
• 22 May observed as International Day for Biological Diversity
  • The United Nations has proclaimed May 22 The International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB) to increase understanding and awareness of biodiversity issues
  • On May 22, 1992, the text of the Convention on Biological Diversity was adopted by the of the United Nations at a conference in Nairobi, Kenya. Since 2001, the International Day for Biological Diversity is celebrated each year on the anniversary of this date.
  • "Biodiversity for Sustainable Development" was the theme for International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB) 2015
  • This year’s theme reflects the importance of efforts made at all levels to establish a set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as part of the United Nations Post-2015 Development Agenda for the period of 2015-2030 and the relevance of biodiversity for the achievement of sustainable development.
  • Humanity’s fate is tightly linked with biological diversity the variety of life on earth. Biodiversity is essential for sustainable development and human well-being. It is crucial to the reduction of poverty, due to the basic goods and ecosystem services it provides
• Veteran jazz musician and a Grammy-winning Bob Belden passes away at 58
  • Noted Jazz musician Bob Belden passes away of a heart attack at 58at Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan.
  • Belden was born in Evanston, Illinois, and raised in South Carolina. He studied saxophone and later attended the University of North Texas
  • He was an American saxophonist, arranger, composer, bandleader and producer.He may be best-known for his Grammy Award winning jazz orchestral recording, "The Black Dahlia".
  • In 2008, he arranged and produced Miles from India, a world fusion music record, based on the compositions of Miles Davis. In the record, he assembled alumni of Davis and musicians of India
  • Belden earned three Grammy Awards throughout his career, including for 1996's Miles Davis and Gil Evans 
  • Belden also served as an A&R executive for legendary jazz label Blue Note Records
  In February, Belden and his group, Animation, went on a four-day tour of Iran, performing tunes by Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock and Belden's own compositions. The visit, which came as Tehran and Washington engaged in nuclear talks, was arranged by Search for Common Ground, a U.S. nonprofit organization that aims to promote better ties between the long-time rivals.
• Andaman & Nicobar Police proposed to reserve 33% seats for women
  • Andaman & Nicobar Police has  proposed to reserve 33 percent of the seats for the posts of constable and sub-inspector for women.
  • The decision to keep 33 percent women in police will help the vulnerable sections like women, children and the old to voice their grievances without fear and help resolve many problems in a better way
  • Earlier in June 2014, Gujarat Government also announced 33 percent quota for women in police force.
  • NDA has already given it's nod for 33 per cent reservation  for women in police forces in all seven union territories including Delhi 
  Extra Knowledge (EK)
  • The CRPF has three battalions staffed entirely by women. The first battalion No 88 was raised in 1986 with its headquarters at New Delhi. The second battalion 135 came into existence in 1996 at Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The third battalion, Number 213 is located at Ajmer, Rajasthan
  • There are approximately 200,000 American women on active duty in the US armed forces. They constitute nearly 20 percent of its strength
• ArcelorMittal, SAIL Inked MoU to Set up Steel Plant in India
  • ArcelorMittal and Steel Authority of India have signed a MoU to set up an automotive steel manufacturing facility in India 
  • MoU was signed between Lakshmi Mittal, Chairman and CEO of ArcelorMittal and SAIL Chairman CS Verma in London
  • The MoU is the first step of a process to establish a JV between the two companies
  • The proposed Joint Venture will construct a state-of-the-art cold rolling mill and other downstream finishing facilities in India that will offer technologically advanced steel products to India's rapidly growing automotive sector 
  • The MoU will increase the availability of indigenously produced automotive steel would reduce India’s reliance on imports and provide the Indian steel industry and the automotive industry with a sustainable competitive advantage.
  Extra Knowledge (EK) :-
  • SAIL is on the verge of completing a comprehensive modernisation and expansion programme to increase its hot metal capacity from 14 million tons per annum (MTPA) to 23.5 MTPA, with a quantum jump in production of value added steels.
  • ArcelorMittal is the world’s leading steel supplier to the global automotive sector, with a market share of about 17 per cent. In 2014, ArcelorMittal shipped over 13 million tonnes of steel to automotive customers globally, resulting in revenues in excess of USD 12 billion

CURRENT AFFAIRS MAY/22/2015

CURRENT AFFAIRS MAY/22/2015

1.   BARACK OBAMA ENTERED GUINNESS BOOK OF WORLD RECORD:

i. United States President Barack Obama entered Guinness Book of World Record.

ii.   Obama entered Guinness Book of World Record for Reaching a million followers on twitter in a spam of mere 5 hours after going live.

iii.  Previous the record' was hold by Iron Man Star Robert DowneyJr.

2.   INDIA –SOUTH AFRICA JOINT MINISTERIAL COMMISSION:

i.    9^th session of India-South Africa Joint Ministerial commission held in Durban

ii.  Session was chaired by minister for external affairs and overseas Indian affairs SushmaSwaraj and her counterpart MaiteNkoanaMashabane

iii.  Next session will held in 2017 in India

3. ASTRA MISSILE SUCCESSFULLY TEST FIRED:

i. Indigenously developed Astra Missile successfully test fired from ITR Chandipur in Odisha

ii.  Astra is a Bengal Visual Range (BVR) air – to- air missile

4. ANTI TERRORIST DAY OBSERVED:

i. Anti Terrorist Day was observed across the country on 21^stMay, 2015

ii.  This day is annually observed on the death anniversary of seventh Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi

iii.  Its motive is to promote unity, peace and harmony across the nation.

5.TWO STATES GETS NEW GOVERNOR:

States	Governors appointed	Replaced
a.      Tripura	Tathagata Roy	PadmanabhBalkarishna (also governor of Nagaland)
b.     Meghalaya	Sharmuganathan	KeshriNathTripathi (He was handling West Bengal & Meghalaya)