Page 7 - Pharma eZine 140828

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One such example is avoiding the patents The monopoly created by the new global patent According to the anitrust authoriies, the two
on products which are not innovative, and regime has huge implicaions and encourages abuses companies had sought to keep doctors from

limiting the bilateral agreements containing and conlicts of interest, not only in developing prescribing a relaively inexpensive eye treatment
more restrictive intellectual property regimes countries but also in Western countries as recently that costs EUR 15 to 80, in favour of a more expensive

compared with the multilateral treaties. More rev“ealed by the Italian ani-trust authoriies, which one of EUR 900 per dose through an ariicial
than 10 years ago, Big Pharma moved against ined two Big Pharmaceuical companies accused of disincion between the two products. Scieniic

Nelson Mandela to block the implementation collusion.1
and independent studies showed the products
of South Africa’s Medicine Act to prevent the were equivalent, but only the most expensive one

country from allowing low-cost AIDS drugs. Big Pharma moved has been registered to treat age-related macular

Nowadays multinational companies want to problems, overstaing the danger of using the other
block this reform, which could result in more against Nelson one. In that way the two pharmaceuical companies

affordable lifesaving medicines and could could collect higher royalies and share the proits.
facilitate access to lower-cost generics.
Mandela to block the The agreement between the two companies cost the

implementaion of the Italian Health System more than EUR 40 million and,
This new fight of South Africa is part of a larger most importantly, it hindered access to treatment for

battle over medicine: if the reform on intellectual South Africa Medicine
a considerable number of paients.
property rules passes, it would make critical

drugs for treating cancer, diabetes and infectious Legal and civil protests are increasing around the Act to prevent the
diseases more affordable and would expand the world and some governments have demonstrated ”

import of cheap drugs from other markets. In their willingness to balance the interests of business country from allowing

developing countries, where people rarely have with the consituional need to protect public health.
health insurance and must pay for medicines out low-cost
However it remains imperaive to search for poliical

of pocket, high prices keep lifesaving medicines soluions and to make every efort to overcome the
out of reach and are often a matter of life and AIDS drugs.
conlict of interests and prioriize the right to health.

death.
1 http://www.nytimes.com

ISSUE 6 Pharmaceuicals l 7