WTO generics agreement deadline broken again

Published: 8-Apr-2005

World Trade Organisation (WTO) member countries have broken a 31 March deadline for striking a permanent agreement allowing generic copies of patented medicines to be produced to fight health emer-gencies.


World Trade Organisation (WTO) member countries have broken a 31 March deadline for striking a permanent agreement allowing generic copies of patented medicines to be produced to fight health emer-gencies.

An interim waiver from WTO rules on pharmaceutical patents is in place, but it has not yet yielded compulsory generic licences. This, developing countries told a recent WTO meeting, was over fears the waiver could be withdrawn. They want a permanent deal, but developed countries accuse them of wanting terms conflicting with the waiver.

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