U.S. accepts WTO amendment on generic drug import

23 December, 2005

The US on Saturday formally accepted an amendment to the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights that allows developing countries to issue compulsory licenses to import generic drugs for incurable and dreaded diseases such as HIV/AIDS if a country confirms that it cannot manufacture them domestically.

The WTO general council earlier this month agreed to extend a 2003 waiver that allows compulsory licenses. However, the waiver needs approval from two-thirds of the organization's 149 members by Dec. 1, 2007, to become a permanent amendment. The U.S. is the first WTO member to formally accept the amendment and by doing so, it has taken an important step in the global effort in providing the best access to lifesaving drugs to poor countries.


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