TPP deal faces flak for protecting pharma companies

MUMBAI: The TPP agreement has raised concerns over provisions that give pharma companies extended protection for patented drugs, delaying the availability of affordable, generic medicines.

Public health groups globally have slammed the deal on grounds that it gives monopoly protection to pharma companies, especially for biologic drugs, which are considered the next wave of therapy for lifethreatening diseases like cancer.

“TPP will go down in history as the worst trade agreement for access to medicines in developing countries, which will be forced to change their laws to incorporate abusive intellectual property protections for pharmaceutical companies,” said Judit Rius Sanjuan, US manager and legal policy adviser of Doctors Without Borders, an aid organisation.

According to details emerging from the highly secret talks, biologic drugs, made from living organisms, will enjoy data exclusivity protection for five years, in addition to patent protection.