China to license copies of patented medicines

[DooMMooD]

Chinese intellectual property laws have been overhauled to allow the nation's drug makers to make less expensive copies of medicines still under patent protection.

The move by China, considered a vital growth market for foreign pharmaceutical companies, comes within months of a similar action by India.

The amended patent law allows Beijing to issue compulsory licenses to eligible companies to produce generic versions of patented drugs during state emergencies, unusual circumstances, or in the interests of the public.

For "reasons of public health", eligible drug makers can also ask to export these medicines to other countries, including members of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia-pacific/2012/06/2012694923223634.html

I see a new emerging medical tourist location

 

[drdoctor]

They never really seemed to care very much if a medication was under still under patent before this "change"...

Guess they are just planning to step up production, and through more above ground channels.

 

[DooMMooD]

Exactly. It happened a lot before, but now its legal and sanctioned by the government. And considering all the state owned industry in china, its more $ in their pockets.

Any drug they deem "in the public interest" is fair game. I"m betting a lot of drugs get those labels.

Cant say I blame them; many cancer/AIDS drugs cost obscene amounts of $, and china helps create those drugs but then gets raped on the price, and their people cant afford them.

Then they catch flak because "All these Chinese citizens are making these drugs but cant even afford to take the drugs they themselves make!"

I am just wondering if this will have a wider effect on medical tourists from the west. Since its now legal & sanctioned, people can travel to china for treatments and get legal drugs now; less sneaking and more $ direct to the Chinese government.

Interesting that India has done it too. Wonder what it means there since they dont have state sponsored industry. Simple boom for their private sector i guess?

 

[Herbal~Jah]

If I was the dictator of China I would have all those pharma labs over there ramp up production of drugs such as Oxycodone, and other good addictive opiates and then I would flood the west with them in the form of "Novelty products" kinda like how China already makes all those stimulants in the so called "bath salts"....