Patents on drugs are currently highly questioned, especially when they refer to drugs that are used to cure diseases in some southern countries of the world. There are two legitimate but conflicting interests in this regard: on the one hand, there is an interest in promoting medical and pharmaceutical research and the development of new drugs, the basis of the patent system; on the other, countries whose populations have a high incidence of some diseases are interested in having low-cost drugs available. The issue has been tackled within the framework of the World Trade Organization. The solution found so far, first with the Doha Declaration and then with a decision of the WTO General Council, seems to be a transitional solution between the two interests at stake.
Keywords:
Patents and Drugs, Medical and Pharmaceutical Research, WTO, Developing Countries, Public Health
Author Biography
Francesca Morri
Abogada; investigadora en derecho industrial, Facultad de Derecho, Universidad Católica de Milán.
Morri, F. (2004). Patentes y medicamentos : la batalla de los países en desarrollo. Estudios Internacionales, 37(145), p. 123–137. https://doi.org/10.5354/0719-3769.2004.14585
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