Bill for Public Research in the Public Interest

September 29, Senator Leahy introduced the Public Research in the Public Interest Act of 2006 to the US Senate. This bill would allow the production of generic pharmaceuticals in lower- and middle-income countries before the patent life had expired. It has great potential to increase access to medicines for millions of the world’s poor. You can read more from Yale or National UAEM.

On Monday and Tuesday of this week, UAEM-UF was out tabling on the Reitz Union to encourage students to write our Florida Senators to support this and other bills that increase the accessibility of medicines in developing nations. We ended up with 48 handwritten letters, as well as a number of promises to write-in electronically. To that end, we are posting a few sample letters for use when emailing your senator (Martinez and Nelson for FL residents.)

Sample 1:

Senator ________,

I am writing to urge you to support legislation, such as the Public Research in the Public Interest Act introduced by Senator Leahy of Vermont, whose aim is to make public research widely available, even for the poor. It’s reprehensible when research that has been publicly funded becomes locked down in private companies through exclusive licenses, enabling high drug prices for work that the public has already paid for. When voting, please support this and other legislation that keeps university research available for even the poorest of the poor.

Sample 2:

Senator _________,

I am writing to urge you to support the Public Research in the Public Interest Act of 2006 (s.4040, Leahy). As a student participating in research at the University of Florida, it is important to me that my work remains available to the poorest, and doesn’t become locked down in exclusive licensing of university patents, allowing private companies to reap the benefits of publicly funded work. On this and other issues, please vote in favor of equitable access to university work, especially when lives are at stake.