The Patent System and the Quest for Affordable Medicines

Abstract

This study examined how the patent system in the Philippines – as embodied by the Intellectual Property Code – affects the public’s access to affordable medicines. It discussed the issue of patent protection vs. public health in the context of the Philippine pharmaceutical industry. The study discovered that Filipino-owned pharmaceutical companies find it difficult to compete with multinational corporations, and that this factor has raised the prices of medicines in the Philippines. The study then proposed solutions to the problem, which include the promotion of off-patent drugs and the amendment of the Intellectual Property Code.