Double standards seem to prevail for generic drugs

doi:10.1136/bmj.324.7333.365

BMJ 2002;324:365 ( 9 February )

Letters

Double standards seem to prevail for generic drugs

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EDITOR $---$ The World Trade Organisation tightened legislation on intellectual property by passing the trade related intellectualproperty rights (TRIPS) agreement in 1995. This was largely facilitatedby developed countries. The agreement placed restrictions on manufacturinggeneric drugs and parallel imports. Article 31 of the agreementallowed an opt out clause at times of nationalcrisis.

South Africa's government thought that, with some 4.7 million citizens infected with HIV, the country had a national crisisand wished to import cheap generic equivalents. Thirty-nine powerfulpharmaceutical companies threatened legal sanctions, and the governmentof the United States censure. Common sense prevailed, and thecase was settled out of court after a publicoutcry.

Recently citizens in the United States became at risk of anthrax, although there were apparently only 15 confirmed cases.Initially the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendedciprofloxacin as the antibiotic of choice, although other antibioticsmay be effective, and CDC . . . [Full text of this article]