Developing countries are expected to have greater access to generic pharmaceuticals under changes the World Trade Organization made in late January.
WTO amended its intellectual property rules to allow developing countries that lack the infrastructure to produce generic drugs the ability to import the low-cost medicines under “compulsory licensing” arrangements. Compulsory licensing involves a government allowing a company to produce a patented product without the consent of the patent owner.
The change adopted by WTO allows exporting countries to grant compulsory licenses to generic firms for the exclusive purpose of making and shipping needed medicines to countries lacking production capacity.
