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The pharmaceutical industry as a medicines provider
1School of Medical Practice and Population Health, Faculty of Health, University of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. mddah@mail.newcastle.edu.au
Lancet (London, England)
|November 22, 2002
Summary
High medicine prices limit access globally. While intellectual property rights are debated, voluntary licensing may improve essential drug availability in developing nations.
Area of Science:
- Pharmaceutical policy
- Global health equity
- Intellectual property rights
Background:
- Rising medicine prices create access barriers, particularly in low-income countries.
- Current drug development models inadequately address the primary health needs of less-developed nations.
- The pharmaceutical industry cites high development costs to justify patent protection and elevated prices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the impact of intellectual property rights on medicine accessibility.
- To explore potential solutions for improving access to essential drugs in developing countries.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of the international intellectual property rights system.
- Review of World Trade Organization policy adjustments.
- Evaluation of differential pricing and voluntary licensing models.
Main Results:
- Controversy exists regarding the necessity of high prices and patent protection for drug innovation.
- World Trade Organization has eased demands on least developed countries and promoted differential pricing.
- The effectiveness of these measures for countries without domestic production capacity remains uncertain.
Conclusions:
- Voluntary licensing agreements present a potential pathway to enhance access to essential medicines.
- Addressing the affordability and accessibility of drugs requires innovative policy solutions.
- Global health strategies must consider the unique challenges faced by developing nations in accessing pharmaceuticals.
Keywords:
Health Care and Public Health
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