Brazil: Anvisa Defends Newly-won Right to Deny Patents
Brazilian regulatory authorities are looking to keep newly-won authority to deny the grant of patents for medical products-authority won in 2012 as the result of patent reforms.
Speaking at a 10 July 2012 hearing before the Brazilian House of Representatives, Anvisa's Coordinator for Intellectual Property, Antonio Carlos Bezerra, told legislators that the agency ensures that there is no "undue delay in the arrival of competitors."
"An estimated $28 billion economy for the population under the introduction of generics into the market," added Bezerra.
The House is currently considering Bill 3.709/2008, which would remove Anvisa's veto authority by ending their participation in the evaluation of patents entirely.
The issue of access to drugs is particularly prescient in Brazil, where citizens are guaranteed the ability to have universal access to medicines by their constitution. A statement by Anvisa said taking away their pre-review authority would "[carry] risks for the public health model of the country."
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