UK Health Sec Discusses IPR, Patient Packs

UK Secretary of State for Health Stephen Dorrell has told the generic industry that it should offer a view on the European Parliament vote in favor of generics makers being able to start development work for product registration during the patent or Supplementary Protection Certificate period (Roche-Bolar). Otherwise, the government will take it on itself to offer its own view, he told the British Generic Manufacturers Association annual dinner this month.

BGMA chairman Andrew Kay said the Association does not wish to undermine or reduce the market protection enjoyed by the proprietary sector, and it supports patent law very firmly. It does wish to compete equally with generics firms in other countries and regions which apply their patent laws in a way which is wholly compatible with their Trade-Related Intellectual Property obligations under their World Trade Organization membership yet enables generics to be developed during the patent or SPC period. As a result, brand-name firms face generic competition the day after their patent or SPC expires, from almost anywhere but Europe. European Commissioner Martin Bangemann told the European Generic medicines Association that this situation is "silly," said Mr Kay; Mr Dorrell replied that Mr Bangemann's comments do not always reflect the Commission's views.

The Health Secretary said that, together, the branded and generics sectors are "key to the delivery of the government's health strategy," and that "the growth of generics is a key element in the success of the whole UK pharmaceutical sector."