[Ip-health] Zambia Compulsory License - copy of license, statement by CPTech

[James Love]

Copy of actual license:
http://www.cptech.org/ip/health/c/zambia/zcl.html

Statement by James Love, Director, CPTech:

"The decision by the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry to issue a
compulsory licenses for relevant patents on combinations of 3TC, d4T and
Nevirapine will help AIDS patients by ensuring there are legal and
sustainable mechanisms in place to obtain generic drugs.   The royalty
rate of 2.5 percent of the generic price mets the Zambia government's
objective of bringing prices closer to manufacturing costs.    The two
page Zambia license should serve as a model for other developing
countries facing an AIDS crisis.  Least developed countries could also
consider modifying patent laws to exclude pharmaceutical drugs under
Paragraph 7 of the Doha Declaration on Health.  But as long as the
patent law covers medicines, generic drug firms will face liability if
they do not obtain either voluntary or compulsory licenses.  Zambia has
provided a legal basis for obtaining generic drugs, under domestic
patent laws, making it easier for investors in generic products and
international donors to help Zambia patients."

   jamie

--
James Love | Consumer Project on Technology
http://www.cptech.org | mailto:james.love@cptech.org
P.O. Box 19367, Washington, DC 200036
voice +1.202.387.8030 | fax +1.202.234.5176