Do trade rules, such as the TRIPS Agreement, prevent developing countries from obtaining essential drugs?
Access to drugs in developing countries is a complex issue, and it would be overly simplistic, as well as wrong, to blame the TRIPS Agreement. First, access to drugs encompasses the overall health care system, the distribution system for pharmaceuticals, the appropriate training for medical personnel, information for patients, as well as financial issues. The latter includes not only the price of the drugs, but the resources committed by governments to finance pharmaceutical purchases, the availability of insurance coverage or other aspects of the health care system. In short, in many developing countries where health care systems, transportation, storage and delivery infrastructure are weak, and where government priorities do not include health care much less pharmaceuticals, there are tremendous barriers (see: Challenges) to access to drugs. In most developing countries, in fact, the TRIPS Agreement has not been implemented, and therefore cannot be blamed for lack of access to drugs.
