Low cost drugs for developing lands.

OTTAWA -- Canada will make it easier for developing and least developed countries to obtain low-cost pharmaceuticals. It will be the first country of World Trade Organization members to make changes to its drug laws for this purpose.

The legislative changes that were introduced in early November will amend the Patent Act and the Food and Drugs Act to make it easier for Canadian pharmaceutical companies to export their products to countries in need.

The countries in question need lower cost drugs to deal with epidemics of HIV, AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria among others.

The proposed amendments to the legislation follows the WTO's recent Declaration on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights Agreement and Public Health whereby member countries of the WTO may allow patented products to be manufactured under license to someone other than the patent holder for a limited period of time. This will also allow countries to respond to a public demand made by a country with insufficient pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity.

Health Minister Allan Rock says the government has worked with two pharmaceutical associations and with non-government organizations to develop the legislation that will be part of the solution. However, Rock also added that the government was cognizant of "the need to respect intellectual property rights, which are critical to the development of new products and therapies in Canada."