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Immunization Newsbriefs (c) Copyright Information Inc., Bethesda, MD. Brought to you by the National Network for Immunization Information (NNii). Visit NNii's new website at http://www.immunizationinfo.org.

 

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May 23, 2003

 

U.S. IMMUNIZATION NEWS

 

“U.S. Move on Drug Patents Under Attack”

Financial Times (www.ft.com) (05/23/03) P. 9; Williams, Frances

 

The United States asserts that new drugs, vaccines, and diagnostics increased life expectancy between 1986 and 2000, reinforcing its call for stronger patent protection and other incentives to encourage more research and development by drug companies.  However, Medecins Sans Frontieres, Oxfam, and other groups argue that strengthening patents only serve to increase prices for developing countries.  One report claims that intellectual property only plays a part in diseases with a large market in industrialized countries.  The U.S. resolution will most likely fail, and opponents note that the plan does not allow for developing countries to access generic drugs as the United States promised it would during World Trade Organization negotiations.

 

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