Brazil Breaks Patent to Make AIDS Drug

Andy Tai writes: "In this CNN story, Brazil decides to break a patent over an AIDS drug for public benefits. Brazil will produce the drug domestically without agreements with patent holder, the Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche. Brazil's efforts to fight AIDS have been praised internationally, and it successfully prevented the US Government from bringing complaints in the WTO on behalf of the drugs industry. This may set an important example that public needs justify the disregard of patent protection." There's another article in the Boston Globe about the decision.

Comments

Bullshit.

[FatSean]

I sincerely doubt all the AIDS cases in Brazil were caused by blood transfusion, or passed from mother to child. A high percentage of those infected became that way by choices they made in regard to sexual activity and sharing of needles. In this age of education, AIDS is generally acquired do to ignoring precautions. Ignorance is no answer.

Re:This is not a good trend to cheer.

[HEbGb]

The clear argument is, that it is wrong to steal, even if it saves someone's life. Period.

The Brazilians are crooks for doing this, plain and simple.

Re:Example?

[sllort]

How is AIDS a political problem?

AIDS is not a political problem. The refusal of the Brazilian government to allocate the funds required to purchase the drugs necessary to save the lives of their citizens IS a political problem. By choosing instead to steal, Brazil has established itself in the world community as a thief of intellectual property on par with China, but without the manufacturing muscle to get away with it.

And they will pay the price.

Re:Lets keep dreaming for a while

[Erasmus Darwin]

"Actually, the obvious fact that you are missing is that drug companies spend more money marketing their drugs than they do developing them."

And...?

Marketing -> more sales -> more revenue -> more research.