Charities lobby EU over access to generic drugs

Campaigners are waiting to find out whether talks on free trade between India and the European Union will spell an end to the supply of cheap generic drugs to poor countries.

Charities such as Oxfam and Médecins Sans Frontières have highlighted the issue on the eve of high level talks between the EU’s president, José Manuel Barroso, and India’s prime minister, Manmohan Singh, in New Delhi on 10 February.

The talks ended without any firm agreement but had, said Mr Barroso, moved a “significant step forward” and should be finalised this autumn. Charities are worried that as part …