Health Ministry Tries to Block Grant Of Patent For Anti-AIDS Medicine

摘要

Brazil's health ministry has taken action that it hopes will prevent approval of a patent for an anti-AIDS drug produced by Gilead Sciences.rnOn April 9, Health Minister Jose Gomes Temporao signed a document declaring Gilead's antiretroviral drug tenofovir (sold under the brand Viread) to be in the public interest. Temporao also asked Brazil's patent office to give priority treatment to its consideration of Gilead's patent request for tenofovir. The request was filed in 1997 but has yet to be acted on by the patent office, although, on March 20, a preliminary report was issued recommending that a patent not be granted.rnHealth ministry officials said they hope that the move to declare tenofovir in the public interest will increase the chances that, in its final decision, the patent office will reject the patent request.rnAccording to the patent office, Gilead was given 90 days to appeal the initial recommendation, and the final decision is expected after this time period has expired. In a statement, the patent office said: "The declaration of public interest by the Health Ministry could justify granting priority to the examination of this appeal."