TRIPS and the global pharmaceutical market

This paper reviews the international controversy over patents and access to drugs in developing countries and explores the implications of the 1995 Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) agreement, the 2001 Doha Declaration, and the 2003 agreement preceding the Cancun meeting. These agreements do not resolve the important funding issues that developing countries confront as they seek access to drugs. Also, the international debate and its resolution will complicate the importing of foreign pharmaceuticals into the United States and strengthen pressures both for expanding public support of U.S. drug purchases and, in the long run, for political control of U.S. pharmaceutical pricing.