|
Cambodian intellectual property law to draw drug firms: govt official
PHNOM PENH, Aug 25, 2009 (Xinhua via COMTEX) --
A senior Cambodian Commerce
Ministry official said he hopes a draft law easing intellectual
property restrictions on imports and exports of essential
medicines will encourage major manufacturers of generic drugs to
set up operations in Cambodia, local media reported on Wednesday.
The Law on Compulsory Licensing for Public Health will be
submitted to the Council of Ministers "soon" and is expected to be
passed by the National Assembly by the end of this year, Var Rath
San, director of the Ministry of Commerce's Department of
Intellectual Property Rights, which drafted the law, was quoted by
the Phnom Penh Post as saying.
The law would bring Cambodia into line with the World Trade
Organization (WTO) regulations allowing developing countries to
bypass patents when importing and exporting drugs used to treat
serious diseases such as malaria and HIV.
"Hopefully, foreign investors and large foreign pharmaceutical
firms that are not eligible to produce generic drugs at home will
come to set up factories to produce generic drugs for local and
overseas pharmaceutical markets," Var Rath San said.
The WTO's 1995 Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of
Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs) allows developing countries
to issue a compulsory license to drug manufacturers, allowing them
to produce a patented drug without the consent of the patent
owner.
A "proper fee" must be paid to the patent holder, but the fee
is determined by the government according to its ability to pay.
Ministry of Health Secretary of State Chou Yin Sim said the law
will help expand the pharmaceutical manufacturing sector in
Cambodia.
[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
|
TMCnet LOGIN
Webinars
