| Pharmaceutical innovations in Europe and North America have led to the production of medicines which could significantly reduce the incidences and prevalence of diseases such as AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis and alleviate the sufferings of the infected. However, people suffering these diseases can hardly access these drugs, owing primarily to their exorbitant prices. This thesis, which recognizes global efforts at promoting access to essential medicines via the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs) of 1995 and the 2003 amendment to its Article 31, argues that the access to drugs mechanisms of western countries which possess the capacity to produce drugs are quite onerous to utilise in manufacturing generic drugs. I have thus designed a scheme, modeled on and targeted at harnessing the benefits of the Regional Trade Agreement (RTA) system, which will enable economically disadvantaged countries to easily purchase much needed essential drugs. |
