Tuesday 9 September 2008

Darren Olivier

ICMR on access to drugs in India & Africa

“More than 1.7 billion people in India and Africa do not have access to essential drugs... across the world, about 14 million people die due to infectious diseases and 10 million children die due to vaccine preventable diseases,''...''the Indian Patent Office should not hesitate to invoke provisions of compulsory licensing and flexibilities available under TRIPS and India Patent Act whenever the drugs required by poor remain out of reach'' according to K Satyanarayana, Head of the Intellectual Property Rights Unit, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) (source: Hindu Business Line)

Afro IP asks if this is appropriate action to be taken by some/all IP Offices in Africa?

For more on the access to drugs/IP debate in Africa click here.

Darren Olivier

Darren Olivier

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