THE LEGAL DUEL: THE TRIPS AGREEMENT AND DRUG ACCESS ISSUES

Abstract

The problem of access to medicines became acute with the entry of the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement in 1995 and caught a number of developing countries around the world, unawares. Brenda P Mey’s book on access to drugs issues is a study of this particular problem faced in two developing countries, namely India and Kenya in the aftermath of the implementation of the TRIPS compliant patent legislation. The two developing countries taken up for study are geographically located in two different continents, namely Asia and Africa with differing backgrounds and strikingly similar problems. Dr Mey’s book is a brainchild of her PhD thesis of the same title, and a library reference work in every sense. It showcases her talents as a researcher and analyst on the subject matter of lack of access to medicines (in this case India and Kenya) as a direct result from the implementation of TRIPS Agreement, which grants an extended patent protection to pharmaceutical and chemical products besides others.