Trade deal allow evergreening of patents, affect generics
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New Delhi: Leaders of India’s $15 billion pharmaceuticals industry, a major supplier of affordable generics to the world, have joined public health activists in criticising a new US-led trade deal they say will delay the arrival of new cheap drugs.
The impact of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) struck last week between 12 nations, which include the US but not India, is still being studied by Indian drug makers. But in initial comments, industry executives said provisions in the deal that shield new drug data from competitors would hurt their business in those nations.
“The generics decline will be discernible from the end of 2017,” said D.G. Shah, secretary general of the Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance, an industry group representing some of India’s top drug makers.
Countries from the US to Africa rely on India as a supplier of cheap medicines, earning it the “pharmacy to the world” nickname. Other critics of the TPP deal, including advocacy groups such as Medecins Sans Frontieres, say it will drive up the price of medicines around the world in the long term.
US Democratic party presidential candidate Hillary Clinton weighed in last week, warning the deal seemed to put the interests of big US drug companies ahead of patients. Citing details leaked by Wikileaks, as the text has not been formally released, Mr Shah said TPP sought to extend patent life, make it easier to ‘evergreen’ patents, and abolish rules allowing generic companies to undertake product development during the life of the patent. “These provisions will delay the launch of generics in the US and other TPP member states,” said Mr Shah, adding that it will delay the launch of cheaper biosimilars.
( Source : reuters )
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