E-DRUG: Patent Legislation Analysis in Latin America / Caribbean
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Dear Members
In this months Bulletin of the World Health Organization (Volume 82,
Number 11, November 2004) an article was published on the analysis of
industry property legislation for 11 countries from Latin America and the
Caribbean.
Based upon article 8 of the WTO TRIPS Agreement, which states that,
Members may, in formulating or amending their laws and regulations, adopt
measures necessary to protect public health and nutrition, and to promote
the public interest in sectors of vital importance to their socioeconomic
and technological development, provided that such measures are consistent
with the provisions of this Agreement, the authors examined the industrial
property legislation to determine the main flexibilities that can favor the
implementation of access to medicines policies.
The countries examined were: Argentina; Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador,
Honduras, Mexico, Peru, Venezuela, Dominican Republic and Panama.
One specific case that the article discusses is the ARV price negotiations in 2001 in Brazil between private sector pharmaceutical companies and the
Brazilian Ministry of Health.
To access the full text, please click on the following link below:
Sincerely,
Gabriela Costa Chaves
Center for Pharmaceutical Policies
National School of Public Health
Oswaldo Cruz Foundation
Av Brasil, 4036, s/ 915 and 916
CEP 21040 361, Rio de Janeiro - RJ
Brazil
gabi@ensp.fiocruz.br