NEWS: Brazil to Break Foreign AIDS Drugs Patents

Brazil is set to break the patents on some AIDS drugs starting next year. The violation of the patents is an attempt to drive down the cost of the drugs and to treat the general population. Under Brazilian law and WTO rules, a country can break patents by applying for a compulsory license if there is a national emergency or interest.



This is a tough issue from a variety of aspect. Countries need to be able to treat its citizens without going bankrupt. However, companies that invested billions of dollars do need the ability to recoup the billions that they invested in the development of the drugs. For every successful drug, there are hundreds of failures in its wake. Who will pay for it? The citizens of the country who�s drugs are being violated in this manner.

Interesting story. The outcome of something like this is unknown but assuredly will be fought in the courts for years.

Is profit more important than life?

Brazil risks becoming a pariah nation with such a move, this is indeed brave.

from Fred's link
"Brazil, which has a much-copied universal free AIDS program, has for years threatened to break patents in its drive to cut the cost of foreign drugs used in its 15-drug anti HIV-AIDS cocktail".

Wow- the Brazilians have most certainly grabbed a tiger by the tail on this one. I am reminded that Brazil (supposedly by some) was named for a mythical place of well being.

Downside to this move is some drug companies may quit getting patents for drugs hoping the complexity of the drug will protect them (Coca-Cola).

Normally, I would side with the drug manufacturers on this, but this is a matter of life and death. It may be a wakeup call for those drug companies to find ways to bring down the cost of these medicines; after all, we're not talking about recreational or cosmetic drugs here.

I applaud the Brazilian government for putting the people first.

Its a tough argument. What if the fact that the drug compaines cannot even recoup thier costs forces them to stop researching the drugs? Then we have to pay the governemnt to do it.

Well, patent laws are in place to protect companies for just these reasons, but in the case of the Aids meds and all the people in the world suffering from aids, I think they should be allowed to do this. I don't know for sure, but I would expect that the pharmacuetical companies have easily recouped all their costs of development for these drugs, and have been making a pure HUGE profit for years. They should be able to balance the loss of Aids profit with the gains of Viagra profits and other mass market drug profits anyways.

Besides, wouldn't it be a good "promotion" for a pharm company to sell Aids drugs (and other drugs) in the future to other countries if they could advertise to them something like "We cured Brazil, do you want to be Aids-free too?"

Go Brazil!

Im glad another nation is finally standing up to the drug companys. The monopoly of the drug prices is making health care nearly unattainable in some parts of the world. Maybe this will be a wakeup call for the Eli Lillies of the world to cut thier prices before more nations start following India's lead.

Originally posted by FredT
Its a tough argument. What if the fact that the drug compaines cannot even recoup thier costs forces them to stop researching the drugs? Then we have to pay the governemnt to do it.

Very good point. This could turn into the same type of situation as the flu vaccines. I am all for recovering costs and making a profit.

But there has to be a way to solve this to satisfy everyone. Maybe Brazil can agree to take a part of the loss also.

I'm not smart enough to figure this out. But there's gotta be an answer.

Originally posted by Kidfinger
Maybe this will be a wakeup call for the Eli Lillies of the world to cut thier prices before more nations start following India's lead.

Its actually Brazil but India would be a likly candidate as would China. Both countries have an AIDS population that is set to explode. The question is once the pandoras box is opened. How about electronics? Other content? Would it just stop at drugs?