Fixing CAMR: the campaign, supported by the Canadian Hemophilia Society, continues

The campaign to fix Canada’s Access to Medicines Regime (CAMR) continues, so that more affordable live-saving medicines can get to developing countries. Prorogation signalled the end of the road for Senate Bill S-232. However, as a Private Member’s Bill in the House of Commons, Bill C-393 survived and is automatically reinstated at the committee stage, where it was left after passing second reading in December. This means that Bill C-393 will be debated by the House’s Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology now that Parliament has resumed.

In order to ensure that Bill C-393 is not watered down by the Committee and ultimately passed at third reading, it is important to maintain the campaign’s momentum. MPs want to hear about the issues their constituents care about, so make your voice heard by contacting your MP and making it clear that you, as a constituent, want to see CAMR fixed as part of Canada’s response to the shameful inequity in access to AIDS treatment and other medicines between rich countries and the developing world.

How did your MP vote on Bill C-393 at second reading? Click here to see. If your MP voted in favour of moving the bill forward to committee, please thank him or her and ask for continued support in ensuring the bill is not watered down by its opponents. If your MP voted against Bill C-393, be sure to let him or her know you object and request that he or she reconsider this position, and that you’ll be following this as it comes up for a future vote in Parliament.

More information can be found at www.aidslaw.ca/camr, including this key overview, Fixing Canada’s Access to Medicines Regime: 20 Questions & Answers, and the text of a postcard you can print off and mail to your MP. You can also watch the short video on why CAMR needs to be fixed and join the Facebook group on reforming CAMR. If you have any questions or require additional information, please contact the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network’s Outreach Coordinator, Lindsey Amèrica-Simms.

March 24, 2010: CAMPAIGN FOR “UNIVERSAL ACCESS” TO MEDICINES GOES GLOBAL