Compulsory licences for direct acting antiviral drugs for hepatitis C

Among the proposals made so far to increase access is the suggestion that governments should retain the lion's share of intellectual property rights and limit patents, 1 2 and that a "government patent use" law be applied to allow patients to be treated with inexpensive generic medicines. 3 We think that governments' adoption of a compulsory licence would radically solve the problem and deter other companies from playing financial games, as Gilead did with sofosbuvir. 4 Compulsory licences are possible under articles 27 and 31 of the TRIPs agreement in the case of national emergencies. 5 Several reports affirm that the burden of death and disease associated with hepatitis C virus is a national and global priority, and the World Health Assembly has recently deliberated a global strategy aimed at eliminating hepatitis C by 2030. Agreement on trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights. 15 Apr 1994. https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/trips_e/t_agm0_e.htm.