WTO dispute over generic drug seizures

The controversy continues over a seized shipment in the Netherlands of losartan potassium, the active ingredient in US drug major Merck & Co's  antihypertensitive Cozaar, which was in transit from India to Brazil  (Marketletter February 16). The Brazilian government has accused the  Dutch authorities of "putting patients at risk," as well as claiming  that the issue of counterfeiting, which advocates of strong  intellectual property rights present as a safety issue, is being  exploited to enforce trade marks in violation of provisions of the World  Trade Organization's agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual  Property Rights (TRIPs).

Losartan one case of many