Posted:
Hey,
I didn't see any topic on this so I thought of kick starting a debate on it.
There has been long standing debate on whether pharmaceutical products especially drugs should be allowed to be patented. There are advocates for both.
On one side the point is made that by patenting these drugs and methods you are promoting research and MNCs would want to put in money for something that they have exclusive authority over.
The other side a point made is that by patenting these drugs, the prices increase thereby causing inner areas and low income groups to not benefit. Another point being that drugs should be free for all.
The TRIPS agreement advocates patenting of drugs unless the drug should not be patented for a strong reason like safe guarding public health eg. H1N1 virus vaccine.
I chanced upon this recent article about the Pirate Party of Sweden, which wants to do away with Intellectual Property, I am posting a paragraph here,
I didn't see any topic on this so I thought of kick starting a debate on it.
There has been long standing debate on whether pharmaceutical products especially drugs should be allowed to be patented. There are advocates for both.
On one side the point is made that by patenting these drugs and methods you are promoting research and MNCs would want to put in money for something that they have exclusive authority over.
The other side a point made is that by patenting these drugs, the prices increase thereby causing inner areas and low income groups to not benefit. Another point being that drugs should be free for all.
The TRIPS agreement advocates patenting of drugs unless the drug should not be patented for a strong reason like safe guarding public health eg. H1N1 virus vaccine.
I chanced upon this recent article about the Pirate Party of Sweden, which wants to do away with Intellectual Property, I am posting a paragraph here,
it says its aim of doing away with the patent system, especially on pharmaceutical products, "would save many, many lives."
Christian Engstrm said the industry is "unbelievably immoral" when it does not allow developing countries that can afford to produce the medicines themselves do so. He also said that a reform is needed as more than 80 percent of European pharmaceutical companies' income comes from the state. He said this is a waste of taxpayers' money as the state gets little in return.
Give your views on the topic at hand.
Looking forward to them
Shruti
Anupamaa
