After a protracted standoff, the world’s least-developed countries have reportedly won a 17-year extension of a waiver from world trade rules so they can remain exempt from granting and enforcing pharmaceutical patents.
The extension was sought so that non-profits, health programs and generic drug makers working in these countries could make, import or export medicines for life-threatening diseases without fear of being sued for patent infringement. A total of 48 nations have been deemed LDCs. As we noted previously, an existing waiver was put in place 15 years ago as part of a World Trade Organization agreement, which expires on Jan. 1, 2016.
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