Right to Breathe Campaign Takes Action at the Brazilian Cystic Fibrosis Congress

Last week, the Right to Breathe campaign headed to the Brazilian Cystic Fibrosis Congress to advocate for global access to vital cystic fibrosis medication. This important Congress, held every two years, unites healthcare professionals working in the diagnosis and treatment of cystic fibrosis to share knowledge and collaborate on new solutions.

During the Congress, dedicated campaigners engaged with attendees, handed out resources and raised awareness of the urgent need for improved access to cystic fibrosis modulators. They urged Vertex Pharmaceuticals to lower the prices of these lifesaving medications to make them more accessible to patients around the world.

In Brazil, patients and their advocates have recently made several demands to their government, including negotiating lower prices for cystic fibrosis medications, prioritising access to modulators within the public healthcare system, and forming a working group to explore compulsory licensing measures.

Leticia Lemgruber, one of the campaigners who attended the Congress, said:

“My evaluation of the congress was positive. We managed to get approximately 40 people from patient associations to wear the campaign badges every day and distribute the flyers, as well as taking a powerful group photo in front of the Vertex stand. People were really engaged, and making a lot of posts on social media. But the most impactful was having a speaking physician - Dr Marco Zampoli - explicitly addressing our agenda. On top of this, a government representative participated in a lecture with two representatives of the patients' associations who made an appeal for Vertex to lower the price. At the end, the government representative asked for our campaign material to deliver to the Minister of Health.”

The Right to Breathe campaign's impact extends far beyond Brazil. Activists are also working tirelessly in countries including Ukraine, South Africa, and India to secure global access to lifesaving cystic fibrosis medications. We remain steadfast in our commitment to fight for patients' rights worldwide, with the ultimate goal of ensuring that everyone, everywhere, can access the crucial CF medications they need.