The European Commission is proposing to amend intellectual property rules to allow pharmaceutical companies to produce and export generics to countries where certain medicines are off-patent. These rules will help investment in research, but would also help prevent pharmaceutical companies from moving the production of generics for export outside Europe.
With the new rules, which provide for the introduction of an additional protection certification, however, while the drugs will continue to have patent coverage in the EU, companies will be able to produce generics directly in Europe, to be exported to countries where drugs are not they have coverage.
"The initiative will help us open up a 95 billion euro market worldwide," says Elzbieta Bienkovska of the European Commission for Industry. "The same tool has already worked well in Canada and has helped the pharmaceutical industry grow and hire people."
The proposal, which has yet to be approved by the European Parliament and the member states, could lead to around one billion euros in additional net sales per year.
Source: Reuters Health News
(Italian version for Daily Health Industry)
