US IPR Meeting Spotlights Argentina

At the Intellectual Property Conference of the Americas meeting in Los Angeles, the Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America and a Deputy US Trade Representative discussed some of the worst patent offenders, with the spotlight on Argentina.

A PhRMA spokesman told the Marketletter that discussion centered on what patent piracy does to industry and innovation and to the industry in Argentina, and what can be done to overcome it. Argentina has promised to put in force meaningful patent protection and this has not happened, he noted, putting lost drug sales in Argentina at $500 million a year.

Meantime, none of the member associations of the Latin American Association of Pharmaceutical Industries, Alifar, attended the conference. They had repeatedly requested positions as panelists in any plenary or breakout session, but the requests could not be accommodated, says Alifar secretary Mirta Levis.