Biased deal
The World Trade Organisation's (WTO) General Council has made a permanent amendment to the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) agreement. The December 6, 2005 decision allows countries to manufacture generic medicines especially for export. However, aid organisations say the amendment is flawed.
Under the old TRIPS agreement, countries could manufacture generic versions of patented drugs in case of a domestic public health emergency. However, it was illegal for companies to produce and export drugs to specifically meet foreign public health needs. In August 2003, a temporary