Healthy Skepticism Library item: 16093
Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.
Publication type: news
Turner T.
Argentina, Brazil Question Swine Flu Vaccine Patents
CNN Money.com 2009 Jul 24
http://au.advfn.com/news_UPDATE-Argentina-Brazil-Question-Swine-Flu-Vaccine-Patents_38768130.html
Full text:
The presidents of Argentina and Brazil suggested Friday that developing countries be allowed to lift patent rights so they can produce more vaccines to battle the A/H1N1 swine flu epidemic.
“It would be very advantageous to propitiate a kind of lifting or suspension of the patents law because the World Health Organization has recognized that we’re dealing with an epidemic,” Argentine President Cristina Fernandez said in a speech at a regional Mercosur leaders summit in Paraguay.
Fernandez said failing to act could mean “condemning millions of people to death” while “suspending” the patents law could save millions of lives.
“I hope this won’t be misconstrued because I’m not talking about disavowing patent law,” Fernandez said. “I’m saying that given this unprecedented pandemic recognized by the WHO, many times some laboratories cannot keep up with world demand [for vaccines].”
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva proposed that leaders discuss breaking the patents law to help contain the epidemic, according to a report by Brazil’s state news agency, Agencia Brasil.
The news agency said Brazilian Health Minister Jose Gomes Temporao is negotiating with all vaccine producers to boost the vaccine’s availability.
“Brazil is willing to defend the health security of its population,” the minister was quoted as saying.
Brazil has been adept in recent years at getting pharmaceutical companies to offer discounts on HIV medication. In 2007 the government issued a compulsory license to break the patent on an antiretroviral AIDS drug made by U.S. pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co. (MRK).
Argentina’s Fernandez said Argentina and Brazil both have highly developed pharmaceutical industries and should be able to produce vaccine “that wouldn’t be free,” Argentina’s state news agency, Telam, reported.
“But,” Telam quoted the president as saying, “it’s beyond question that we’re confronting a situation in which the needs of millions of people cannot be subordinated to economic interests.”
Mercosur is a regional customs union founded by Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.
