WHO Urges to Waive Normal Patent Laws for Swine Flu Vaccines

Government across had asked for the World Health Organization (WHO) to waive normal patent laws that protect pharmaceutical companies in the face of the global Influenza A(H1N1) pandemic. Argentine President Cristina Kirchner said it would be "highly desirable" for the WHO to waive these patents.

President Cristina Kirchner on Friday also urged that patents not be used in producing a swine flu vaccine -- arguing that such a move could save millions of lives.

Using patent rights to preserve an economic advantage in this case "would condemn millions of people to death," Kirchner argued at a Mercosur summit.

The continuous rise in Swine Flu cases has prompted governments and corporations to stockpile anti-virals with Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche reporting that sales of Tamiflu soared 203 percent in the first six months of 2009.

There were also a seen rise in the proliferation of fake Swine Flu vaccines as evidenced by the recent raid in the Philippines of a group selling fake vaccines.


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