One of the continuing problems in the access to medicines debate is the lack of transparency around patent information.
Access to patent information on medicines can be the difference between procuring more cost-effective generic drugs and paying higher prices for brand name versions. The outcome of such decisions can affect how many patients receive treatment.
To help redress this information gap, we will be making available patent information relating to medicines from as many countries as possible.
Given the various requests we recieve from public health actors working in the field of HIV/AIDS, we have started by concentrating on patents covering antiretrovirals (ARVs).
Our first landscape covers HIV drug patents filed and granted in China. The information provided in the landscape includes the applicant, Chinese patent application and grant numbers, the expected expiry date and a brief analysis of the claims of patents where translation permits. A summary and full version of the landscape report can be accessed here.
As this effort is work in progress, we welcome your comments on how we can improve the information provided. If you have any specific medicines you are interested in, please do not hesitate to contact us.