Patent Legislation Conflict As Argentina Repeals Law

Once again, Argentina is in conflict over its new patent legislation. In December, a vote by Congress, which followed a vote by the Senate in November, repealed recent regulations passed in relation to patent protection for pharmaceuticals (Marketletters passim). This means that pharmaceutical patent protection is deferred in Argentina until the year 2001.

Gerald Mossinghoff, president of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America is urging the Clinton Administration to adopt "a tough position in response to Argentina's failure to protect patents, despite its repeated pledges to do so." He added that patent piracy is worse in Argentina than in any other Latin American country, and Argentine pirate companies are using the country's inadequate legislation to export piracy to other parts of the region.

The Congress is reported by the local press to be "tired of the pressures" being brought to bear by the USA. It is understood that the Congress is preparing itself for another battle and in December was contemplating requesting that the Ambassador to Argentina, James Cheek, be recalled to the USA.