[Pharm-policy] Bangladesh Experts say "no" to patent treaty

[James Love]

http://www.dailystarnews.com/200011/23/n0112305.htm#BODY4

The (Onirban) Daily Star, November 23, 2000

Experts say 'no' to signing patent treaty without study

Experts at a roundtable on Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) yesterday
observed that Bangladesh should not endorse the PCT of the World
Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) without detailed study of its
impact on pharmaceutical and other knowledge-based industries, says BSS.

WIPO jointly with the Ministry of Industries hosted the roundtable at
Hotel Purbani International here.

Professor A B M Farooque of the Pharmacy Department of Dhaka University,
joint secretary of the Indian Ministry of Commerce and Industry A F
Ahmad, Lecturer of the Law Department of Dhaka University Sheikh Hafizur
Rahman, Dr Izaj Hossain of Chemical Engineering Department of BUFT,
Director of WIPO Wang Zhengfa, WIPO Executive Anil Sinha, Dr A B M
Abdullah of Bangladesh Jute Research Institute, controller of Patents
and Designs A N M Abdullah, advocate Mohammad Mukit Khan and
representative of Bangladesh Law Commission Mohammad Shawkat Ali
Chowdhury, among others, participated in the roundtable moderated by
Prof Dr Nurul Islam of the Institute of Appropriate Technology of BUET.

Professor A B M Farooque said Bangladesh should strengthen the national
patent office but should not endorse PCT without detailed studies on its
impact on the pharmaceutical sector.

"Our poor people would suffer if we take imprudent decision. The prices
of essential drugs will go up and at this moment signing PCT is not that
much important as Bangladeshi innovators have so far applied for very
few patents," he noted.

Indian official A F Ahmad said PCT has no bearing or substantive impact
on the national patent laws in different countries. "In India, we have
not seen the prices of drugs going up as predicted by experts," he
added.

Sheikh Hafizur Rahman said Bangladesh should not endorse the PCT in a
hurried way. The authorities should share opinions with different
stakeholders of knowledge-based industries, he said.

Dr Izaj Hossain of BUET said as a developing country Bangladesh should
not endorse a treaty which might jeopardise its national interest.

WIPO's director Wang Zhengfa said without proper protection of
international patent rights there would be no transfer of technology.

"We are here not for pushing Bangladesh to sign the treaty but for
promoting awareness about the PCT," the WIPO official said.

He said some people are very much worried about patents granted to the
foreigners. But by granting more patients to foreigners you will be
inviting more foreign investment.

The WIPO director observed that close-door policies will not assist
proper growth of knowledge based economy in the developing countries
like Bangladesh.

Prof Dr Nurul Islam said the authorities should make arrangements for
detailed study of PCT. But our patent office should take leadership to
train professionals like journalists, attorneys and other stakeholders
of the civil society about the PCT and other important issues relating
to intellectual property laws.