BHF supports Minister Motsoaledi’s call for reform of the pharmaceutical patent laws which are restricting access to affordable healthcare.
The Board of Healthcare Funders is encouraged by the strong stance taken by the Minister against pharmaceutical manufacturers wishing to strengthen the patent laws in South Africa, and supports the DTI proposed policy on intellectual property.
“Of the R103 billion paid out to healthcare providers in 2012, R16.3 billion was paid out on medicines dispensed out of hospitals and a significant percentage of the R40 billion paid out to hospitals, for medicines supplied in-hospital. It is for this reason that BHF would like to see legislative reform that allows for lower SEP for medicines, more generics to be used and for the private sector to be able to access medicines at the state tender price”, says Dr Humphrey Zokufa, MD of BHF.
The BHF calls for a review of all legislation which impacts on the realization of affordable and accessible healthcare, as enshrined in Section 27 of the Constitution.