More about Alice

On the 25th and 26th January 2010, the European Patent Office (EPO) in Munich heard a patent challenge by the African Centre for Biosafety on behalf of a rural community in Alice, South Africa, in collaboration with Swiss NGO, the Berne Declaration. The patent was granted to Schwabe by the EPO in 2002. The patent is in respect of a method for producing extracts of Pelargonium to manufacture a cough and colds syrup, Umckaloabo. The Daily Dispatch newspaper reports that the challenge was successful, and that the patent was rejected ( it is not clear from the report whether the application was rejected or the patent revoked). Schwabe has indicated that it intends noting an appeal. The documentation relating to this matter is available at
http://www.biosafetyafrica.org.za/index.php/20100115256/Pelargonium-Patent-Challenge-against-Dr.- Willmar-Schwabe/menu-id-100029.html