Canada introduces Generic Drugs Bill by UN Wire 11:00am 11th Nov, 2003   Monday, November 10, 2003    Canada has introduced legislation that would allow generic drugmakers to supply cheap copies of patented medicines — mostly AIDS drugs — to poor countries, a move the United Nations lauded Friday as a step toward improving access to drugs and promoting public health in developing countries.    Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien proposed the bill on Thursday, on what was likely to be his last day in Parliament.  The bill complies with a recently passed World Trade Organization rule that allows WTO member countries that produce generic copies of patented drugs to export the drugs to countries with little or no manufacturing capacity.    The Canadian legislation would amend Canada's Patent Act and Food and Drugs Act to effectively put the WTO decision into practice.    The U.N. special rapporteur on the right to health, Paul Hunt, said the move was "an important example of how developed countries can help to improve access to medicines to fight diseases in poor countries" (U.N. release, Nov. 7).    Canadian officials hailed the bill as the first proposed by any government to meet the drug needs of developing countries, and called on other developed countries to follow Canada's lead.  "We're extremely proud to be the first government in the world to begin with legislative measures to implement the WTO agreement," International Trade Minister Pierre Pettigrew said.    Although the bill may die when the current Parliament session adjourns, Canadian officials said they would continue to work on the measure so it can be offered during the next session, when former Finance Minister Paul Martin is expected to succeed Chretien.  Martin has said he supports the bill (Tom Cohen, Associated Press, Nov. 6).
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