What we’re reading

A Long Petal of the Sea

Isabel Allende

This beautiful work of historical fiction follows a family caught up in the Spanish Civil War and forced into exile in Chile. Set against the backdrop of two major struggles against fascist dictatorships, this is ultimately a hopeful tale of family, love and belonging.

Daisy Pearson, activism team

The Imperial Mode of Living: Everyday life and the ecological crisis of capitalism

Ulrich Brand and Marcus Wissen

A compelling new account of how the things we’ve come to expect in rich countries, such as car ownership, are only possible at the expense of people and the environment elsewhere, while at the same time propping up a fundamentally unequal economic system.

James O’Nions, activism team

If Beale Street Could Talk

James Baldwin

This classic by the great novelist and essayist of the Black liberation struggle follows the relationship of a young couple Tish and Fonny in 1970s Harlem who are separated by false imprisonment and a broken criminal justice system.

Tim Bierley, policy team

Commoning with George Caffentzis and Silvia Federici

A fascinating set of essays on the intellectual legacy of the two authors, highlighting capitalism’s enclosures as ongoing processes of dispossession and accumulation, and feminist understandings of the ‘commons’, care and social reproduction as crucial sites of resistance.

Cleodie Rickard, policy team

Pharmaceuticals

Is big pharma censoring us?

We found out that Pfizer’s vaccine partner BioNTech tried to censor Global Justice Now activists’ tweets at the height of the pandemic. In December 2020 BioNTech wrote to Twitter, asking them to hide demands that pharma companies share their vaccine recipes and Covid-19 vaccine patents be suspended. This is the company that made £16.7 billion in 2021, with astonishing profit margins of 54%. This was after the company received over €500 million in public funding.

We sent the company a barrage of messages to let them know we won’t be silenced, and we’re stepping up our campaign again to take on the failing pharma model. BioNTech is one of a few pharma giants trying to seize monopoly control over the mRNA technology, which could soon provide vaccines for cancer, HIV and other diseases. With so much at stake, we can’t afford not to break up big pharma’s deadly monopolies.

Pressure to build a new system

We think there is an opportunity to initiate this change from the UK. While the UK funds huge amounts of research into new medicines, much of this vital work is privatised and then sold back to the NHS at eye-watering prices. Many of these medicines also become unaffordable for lower-income countries. At the same time big pharma companies are demanding even more, with two US companies pulling out of a pricing agreement in January.

We think it’s time to create a new system where public funding comes with hard conditions. Medicines should be affordable to all, the science should be shared widely, and profits must be invested in new medicines, not shareholder bonuses. It’s also time to go beyond the monopoly patent system and we’ll be pushing UK parties to be bold in taking on big pharma’s vested interests in this broken model. There will be some new materials and campaign activities available for activists from late spring. Watch this space!

Film series coming

We’re working on a series of short films about people around the world taking on the pharmaceutical industry. This will feature activists who fight for cheaper drugs for lifethreatening conditions, health workers battling the diseases big pharma doesn’t bother to invest in and scientists building a new system that puts people over profits. If you’re interested in arranging screenings of the films near you, get in touch with Tim: tim.bierley@globaljustice.org.uk

Key resources

Ten reasons why we need a new pharma system Two-page A4 factsheet (2022).

Who wants to be a pharma billionaire? Game for use on stalls (2022).

UK government: Suspend the patents Petition sheet (no postcards left). Four-page A5 leaflets (2021).

Fighting for a People’s Vaccine Supporter briefing, four pages (September 2021).

Order via activism@globaljustice.org.uk