Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2003. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2003. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Reuters NewMedia - Tuesday October 7, 2003
Patrick White
Canada said late last month it hoped to quickly pass legislation that would allow the manufacture and export of low-cost generic versions of brand-name drugs to help impoverished African countries combat AIDS, tuberculosis or malaria.
"It is a fine step. We would certainly not take any steps against that," said U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick at a Montreal meeting of the North American Free Trade Agreement commission.
"Mexico would not oppose such an initiative at all," said Fernando Canales, Mexico's economy minister.
Ottawa moved to assist Africa after a call from Canadian Stephen Lewis, the United Nations' special envoy on AIDS in Africa, urging rich countries to lift patent protection on key brand-name drugs to allow low-cost exports to Africa.
"As Canadians, we have a responsibility to push AIDS back, to put this decision in force. We have work to do and we have to consult the industry," Canadian Trade Minister Pierre Pettigrew told reporters.
It is expected to be a tricky business crafting legislation that will continue to reward brand-name companies for their research and development while meeting the goal of getting drugs in the hands of the sick or dying in Africa.
About 5,000 people die daily in sub-Saharan Africa from HIV /AIDS, and U.N. figures show the disease has killed 15 million people there in the past two decades.
One of the difficulties, Pettigrew said, will be to respect drug companies' rights on intellectual property.
The ruling Liberal Party has won support in principle to fast-track legislation through Parliament.
Government officials are still working on exactly how to proceed, but the eventual bill would amend the Patent Act to give specific authorization for copies of certain drugs to be sold in certain African nations.
Brand-name companies worry that the drugs, to be sold at a fraction of the cost they go for now, not make their way back to North America and undercut the market here.
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