Further Setback For Argentine Patent Law

The Argentine Senate has partly overruled President Carlos Menem's veto of controversial new patent legislation.

In April, President Menem sent the draft law back to Congress "with observations," or an effective veto after pressure from the USA, including sanctions, which felt the law would discriminate against its drug industry in the Argentine market (Marketletter May 1). The Senate said it was insisting on an article deferring patent protection for drugs until 2003, but accepted the president's objections to an article which would have required local manufacture of foods which receive patent protection. The law now goes back to the lower House.

President Menem's brother Eduardo presides over the Senate.