The battle in the field of medical drug research and development is one that is fought without weapons, yet affects countless people worldwide and leaves death in its wake. It can be thought of as a conflict of interests: should preference be given to the world's pharmaceutical giants who use the monopolistic rights for their drugs as incentives to produce more, or should countries with high rates of deadly illnesses be given the right to override patent laws in order to save lives?
The drug research and production industry is not a cheap one. Several million dollars can go into the development of a new drug. The global pharmaceutical industry insists that patents provide incentive to research and produce more drugs. Were it not for the monopolistic rights that drug companies hold, it would not be worthwhile to invest time and money that it takes to develop new drugs. It is obvious that if these pharmaceutical companies do not produce drugs, there will be no drugs to fight over.
Yet developing countries do not concur. The fact remains that the drugs made available by today's pharmaceutical giants are simply not affordable. In order for people in developing countries to gain access to medication, they must either produce their own generic drugs or import generic drugs from other countries. Both of these options leave them at the mercy of the large pharmaceutical companies, who jump at the opportunity to charge the smaller countries with patent infringement.
It becomes apparent that both sides have convincing arguments, each affecting today's societies in its own way. The reason for the length of the WTO's decision-making process is brought to light. Unfortunately, the problem at hand is immediate. People around the world are dying each day - dying even as this is read. The quicker a solution is found, the better. As is often the case, knowledge proves to be an effective catalyst. A perusal of the pages of this website will provide you with an extensive understanding of the topic of patent wars, as well as region-by-region case studies. Read the interviews and personal experiences. Unearth the whole story from the ongoing battle's history and prognosticate its future. With a healthy foundation of knowledge, you can form your own opinion and become an integral part of that future in your own way.
