Patents have been criticized in the developing world, as they are thought to reduce access to existing medicines. Reconciling patents and universal access to medicine would require an efficient international policy of price discrimination. Moreover, under the TRIPS agreement of the World Trade Organization, countries must allow pharmaceutical products to be patented. In 2001, the WTO adopted the Doha Declaration, which indicates that the TRIPS agreement should be read with the goals of public health in mind, and allows some methods for circumventing pharmaceutical monopolies: via compulsory licensing or parallel imports, even before patent expiration. COUNT 8
QSN1 Who adopted the Doha Declaration? ANS1 World Trade Organization QSN2 What did the TRIPS agreement accomplish? ANS2 countries must allow pharmaceutical products to be patented QSN3 Why are patents criticized? ANS3 thought to reduce access to existing medicines QSN4 What did the Doha Declaration do? ANS4 indicates that the TRIPS agreement should be read with the goals of public health in mind, and allows some methods for circumventing pharmaceutical monopolies QSN5 When was the Doha Declaration adopted? ANS5 2001 QSN6 What has been accused of reducing access to medicines in developing countries? ANS6 Patents QSN7 The Doha Declaration allows for what ways for monopolies to be bypassed? ANS7 compulsory licensing or parallel imports QSN8 When did the World Trade Organization adopt the Doha Declaration? ANS8 2001