Expert View: Pharmaceutical IP exemption extended for Least Developed Countries: Increased efforts to secure sustainable access to treatment

On November 6, the World Trade Organization (WTO) finally agreed, after two weeks of negotiations with the United States, to extend a waiver to allow the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) to avoid implementing intellectual property rights on pharmaceutical products.

The waiver, which exempts LDCs from being required to enforce sections of the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), had been due to expire on January 1, 2016, but this sought-after extension has lengthened the waiver for LDCs until 2033. This comes as recognition of the fact that LDCs are disproportionately affected by high levels of infectious and non-infectious diseases yet lack the resources to purchase expensive patent-protected treatments.