Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Treatment Activism and Intellectual Property of Drugs in Brazil

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Health Innovation and Social Justice in Brazil

Abstract

This chapter introduces new players into the field of pharmaceutical patent regulation in Brazil: international NGOs such as MSF and Brazilian patent organizations. The ethnographic studies of sociologist Pedro Villela enable us to see how the NGOs became familiar with intellectual property rights, from the early 2000s up to their involvement in the opposition to patents filed at the Brazilian national patent office. They recruit their own legal experts to fight these legal battles. Where appropriate, they cooperate with organizations in other countries of the South, for example India, to challenge certain patents such as those of Gilead on tenofovir and, more recently, on sofosbuvir. Their actions contributed to the suspension of Merck’s patents on efavirenz in May 2007 and the invalidation of Gilead Sciences’ tenofovir patent in 2008, which allowed for the deployment of industrial partnerships to produce generic versions of these molecules. In 2006, the NGOs again funded a technological assessment of national producers to evaluate their manufacturing best practices. They thus participated in the regulation of intellectual property of medicines and in the functioning of the national pharmaceutical innovation system.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    MSF figures indicated that, because of different intellectual property regimes, the cost of treating a single person living with HIV/Aids could vary from R$18 in Thailand, where generics are produced and available, to R$1658 in Guatemala, which recognises the patents of the multinational corporations.

  2. 2.

    Source: Interview with Michel Lotrowska.

  3. 3.

    Parallel importing (or exporting) occurs when a product is imported (or exported) by legitimate means, (i.e., this is not contraband), but without authorisation from the holder of the intellectual property rights. The practice occurs because of asymmetries, from one country to another, between local patent regulations and prices.

  4. 4.

    Source: Interview with Michel Lotrowska.

  5. 5.

    MSF had good reason to be concerned. After all, the USA’s intended refinements to Trips included extending patent validity from 20 to 27 years and extinguishing the research or safe harbour exemption, a prerogative afforded by the WTO making it legal to study a product for the purpose of copying (reverse engineering studies, for instance) even during the period patent protection is valid.

  6. 6.

    Source: talk by Jorge Beloqui, of the Grupo de Incentivo à Vida (GIV), at a conference in 2004 organised by MSF to discuss the 10 years since the Trips Agreement.

  7. 7.

    Folha de São Paulo newspaper, 11 May 2001.

  8. 8.

    Source: Interview with Renata Reis.

  9. 9.

    A second-use patent is a patent application to protect new uses for an already known substance. The counterargument, in this case, is that discovering a new use does not meet all the criteria for patentability: although it may actually be an innovation, it cannot be said to represent inventive activity, because as a rule the new use is only a discovery.

  10. 10.

    Source: Interview with Carlos Passarelli.

  11. 11.

    Source: Interview with Renata Reis.

  12. 12.

    A few months earlier, on 1 December 2003, World Aids Day, the WTO had launched the 3 by 5 initiative, i.e., the commitment to bring ARV therapy to 3 million people by 2005 in 50 developing countries. That goal assumed standard forms of drug prescription and development of health infrastructure. Although a milestone, and despite having impelled the All by 2010 initiative (ARV for all by 2010, also by the WTO), assessments in 2005 showed that the programme had not achieved its goals, achieving at best 50 percent of the target.

  13. 13.

    http://utw.msfaccess.org/

  14. 14.

    Source: Interview with Renata Reis.

  15. 15.

    Source: Interview with Michel Lotrowska.

  16. 16.

    Sources: Interview with Michel Lotrowska, MSF , and Boletim Abia No. 51, August 2004.

  17. 17.

    Source: Interview with Michel Lotrowska.

  18. 18.

    In Brazil, the mean price of the cocktail per patient rose from US$1336 in 2004 to US$2500 in 2005.

  19. 19.

    Talk by Michel Lotrowska on 1 December 2006.

Bibliography

  • ABIA. (2001). Boletim Abia, 46.

    Google Scholar 

  • ABIA. (2004). Boletim Abia, 51.

    Google Scholar 

  • Altman, D. (1994). Poder e comunidade: respostas organizacionais e culturais à Aids. Rio de Janeiro: Relume-Dumará/Abia/Uerj.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barbier, M. (2003). Une interprétation de la constitution de l’ESB comme problème public européen. Revue internationale de politique comparée, 10(2), 233–246.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barbot, J. (2002). Les malades en mouvements. Paris: Balland.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bernardo, P. J. B., & Romano, R. (2001). Padrões de regulação de preços do mercado de medicamentos: experiência brasileira dos anos 90 e novos arranjos institucionais. In B. Negri & G. Di Giovanni (Eds.), Brasil: radiografia da saúde. Campinas: Unicamp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bonfim, J. R. d. A. (1997). Proêmio: os dédalos da política brasileira de medicamentos. In J. R. d. A. Bonfim & V. L. Mercucci (Eds.), A construção da política de medicamentos. São Paulo: Hucitec.

    Google Scholar 

  • Camargo, K. (2003). Prevenções de HIV/Aids: desafios múltiplos. Divulgação em saúde para debate (A resposta brasileira ao HIV/Aids: analisando sua transferibilidade), 27, 70–80.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cassier, M., & Corrêa, M. (2003). Patents, innovation and public health: Brazilian public sector laboratories experience in copying aids drugs. In J.-P. Moatti et al. (Eds.), Economics of aids and access to HIV care in developing countries: Issues and challenges (pp. 89–107). Paris: ANRS.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chaves, G. C. (2006). Patentes farmacêuticas: por que dificultam o acesso a medicamentos? Rio de Janeiro: Abia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Corrêa, M. (1991). Medicalização e individualismo: o caso da Aids. Masters thesis defended at the Instituto de Medicina Social, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dodier, N. (2004). Leçons politiques de l’épidemie de sida. Paris: Éditions de l’École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales.

    Google Scholar 

  • Doimo, A. M. (1995). A vez e a voz do popular: movimentos sociais e participação política no Brasil pós-70. Rio de Janeiro: Relume-Dumará/Anpocs.

    Google Scholar 

  • Epstein, S. (1996). Impure science. Berkeley/Los Angeles: University of California Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fassin, D. (2005). Faire de la santé publique. Paris: École Nationale de Santé Publique.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fernandes, R. C. (1988). Sem fins lucrativos. In L. Landim (Ed.), Sem fins lucrativos (pp. 8–23). Rio de Janeiro: Iser.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fortunak, J., & Antunes, O. (2006). A produção de ARVs no Brasil: uma avaliação. Rio de Janeiro: Abia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frare, A. P. (2005). As ONGs/Aids e o acesso a medicamentos antiretrovirais. Masters thesis defended at the Instituto de Medicina Social, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro.

    Google Scholar 

  • Galvao, J. (1994). Aids e ativismo: o surgimento e a construção de novas formas de solidariedade. In R. Parker, C. Bastos, J. Galvão, & J. Pedrosa (Eds.), A Aids no Brasil (pp. 341–350). Rio de Janeiro: Relume-Dumará/Abia/Uerj.

    Google Scholar 

  • Galvao, J. (1997). As respostas das organizações não-governamentais brasileiras frente à epidemia de HIV/AIDS. In R. Parker (Ed.), Políticas, instituições e Aids (pp. 69–108). Rio de Janeiro: ABIA/Jorge Zahar.

    Google Scholar 

  • Galvao, J. (2000). Aids no Brasil: a agenda de construção de uma epidemia. Rio de Janeiro: Abia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goffman, E. (1988). Estigma: notas sobre a manipulação de identidade deteriorada. Rio de Janeiro: LTC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Guimaraes, E. (2008). Masters thesis defended at the Instituto de Medicina Social, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro.

    Google Scholar 

  • Herzlich, C., & Adam, P. (1994). Sociologie de la maladie et de la médecine. Paris: Nathan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Joel, B. (1994). Sexualidade: entre o mal e as maledicências. In M. A. Loyola (Ed.), Aids e sexualidade: o ponto de vista das ciências humanas (pp. 109–115). Rio de Janeiro: Relume-Dumará/Uerj.

    Google Scholar 

  • Landim, L. (1988). A serviço do movimento popular: as organizações não-governamentais no Brasil. In L. Landim (Ed.), Sem fins lucrativos (pp. 24–52). Rio de Janeiro: Iser.

    Google Scholar 

  • Le Roy Ladurie, E. (1988). Un concept: l’unification microbienne du monde. In Le territoire de l’historien. Paris: NRF.

    Google Scholar 

  • Loyola, M. A. (1994). Aids e prevenção da Aids no Rio de Janeiro. In M. A. Loyola (Ed.), Aids e sexualidade: o ponto de vista das ciências humanas (pp. 19–72). Rio de Janeiro: Relume-Dumará/Uerj.

    Google Scholar 

  • Loyola, M. A. (2008). Medicamentos e Saúde Pública em Tempos de Aids: Metamorfoses de uma Política Dependente. Ciência & Saúde Coletiva, 13, 603–618.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Loyola, M. A., Braga, K., & Guimaraes, E. (2005). Reportagens sobre medicamentos genéricos: levantamento na mídia impressa (1990–2003): Correio Braziliense (CB), Estado de São Paulo (ESP), Folha de São Paulo (FSP), O Globo (OG), Jornal do Brasil (JB), revistas Veja e Istoé. Research report, Rio de Janeiro.

    Google Scholar 

  • Loyola, M. A., Guimaraes, E. R. d. B., & Villela, P. (2010). Medicamentos e patentes na ordem do dia: mídia e “a guerras das patentes”. In M. Corrêa & M. Cassier (Eds.), Aids e Saúde Pública: contribuições à reflexão sobre uma nova economia política do medicamento no Brasil (pp. 71–104). Rio de Janeiro: EdUERJ.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lucchesi, G. (1991). Dependência e autonomia no setor farmacêutico: um estudo da Ceme. Masters thesis defended at the Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública/Fundação Oswaldo Cruz.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mattos, R., Terto, V., Jr., & Parker, R. (2003). As estratégias do Banco Mundial e a resposta à Aids no Brasil. Divulgação em saúde para debate (A resposta brasileira ao HIV/Aids: analisando sua transferibilidade), 27, 81–94.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nunn, A., Fonseca, E. M., Bastos, F., Gruskin, S., & Salomon, J. (2007). Evolution of antiretroviral drug costs in Brazil in the context of free and universal access to AIDS treatment. Plos Medicine, 4, 1804–1816.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oliveira, M. A., dos Santos, E. M., & Mello, J. M. C. (2001). Aids, ativismo e regulação de ensaios clínicos no Brasil: o protocolo 028. Cadernos de Saúde Pública, 17(4), 863–875.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Omran, A. (1971). The epidemiologic transition: A theory of the epidemiology of population change. The Milbank Memorial Fund Quarterly, XLIX(4), 509–538.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paiva, V. (2003). Sem mágicas soluções: a prevenção do HIV e da Aids como um processo de emancipação psicossocial. Divulgação em saúde para debate (A resposta brasileira ao HIV/Aids: analisando sua transferibilidade), 27, 58–69.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parker, R. (1990). Responding to aids in Brazil. In B. Misztal & D. Moss (Eds.), Action on AIDS: National policies in comparative perspective (pp. 51–77). New York: Greenwood Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parker, R. (2003). Construindo os alicerces para a resposta ao HIV/Aids no Brasil: o desenvolvimento de políticas sobre o HIV/Aids, 1982–1996. Divulgação em saúde para debate (A resposta brasileira ao HIV/Aids: analisando sua transferibilidade), 27, 8–49.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pinell, P. (Ed.). (2002). Une épidemie politique: la lutte contre le sida en France (pp. 1981–1996). Paris: Presses Universitaires de France.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rios, R. (2003). Respostas jurídicas frente à epidemia de HIV/Aids no Brasil. Divulgação em saúde para debate (A resposta brasileira ao HIV/Aids: analisando sua transferibilidade), 27, 95–106.

    Google Scholar 

  • Silva, C. (1998). ONGs/Aids, intervenções sociais e novos laços de solidariedade social. Cadernos de Saúde Pública, 14(2), 129–139.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sontag, S. (2007). Aids e suas metáforas. São Paulo: Companhia das Letras.

    Google Scholar 

  • Teixeira, P. (2003). Acesso universal a medicamentos para Aids: a experiência do Brasil. Divulgação em saúde para debate (A resposta brasileira ao HIV/Aids: analisando sua transferibilidade), 27, 50–57.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ventura, M. (1999). Direitos Humanos e Aids: o cenário brasileiro. In R. Parker, J. Galvao, & M. Bessa (Eds.), Saúde, desenvolvimento e política: respostas frente à Aids no Brasil. Rio de Janeiro: Abia/Editora 34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ventura, M. (2003). As estratégias de promoção e garantia dos direitos de pessoas que vivem com HIV/Aids. Divulgação em saúde para debate (A resposta brasileira ao HIV/Aids: analisando sua transferibilidade), 27, 107–115.

    Google Scholar 

Interviewees

  • Michel Lotrowska, MSF representative in Brazil.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carlos Passarelli, former militant, Abia, and former coordinator of the GTPI.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cristina Possas, director, research department, National Programme on DST/Aids.

    Google Scholar 

  • Renata Reis, militant, Abia, and present coordinator of the GTPI.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miriam Ventura, lawyer and militant, Grupo Pela Vidda.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Electrobras and Institute of Social Medicine, Rio de Janeiro State University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Pedro Villela

Authors
  1. Pedro Villela
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. CNRS, Villejuif, France

    Maurice Cassier

  2. Social Medicine Institute, Rio de Janeiro State University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    Marilena Correa

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 The Author(s)

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Villela, P. (2019). Treatment Activism and Intellectual Property of Drugs in Brazil. In: Cassier, M., Correa, M. (eds) Health Innovation and Social Justice in Brazil. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-76834-2_9

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation