Table 3 Empirical studies of the implications of patenting on present access
Authors/Ref. no. | Period | Setting (Country/medicines) | Objectives | Model | Method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Akaleephan et al. (2009) [31] | 2000-2003 | Thailand, top 70 imported medicines. | The implications of the TRIPS-Plus proposal, and extension of patent life on price and access | Regression analysis and Modelling | It was assumed that the first medicine patent expired in 2003. Drug consumption and budget from using generic were estimated. This cost was then compared with increased cost from patent life extension. |
Yamabhai et al. (2009) [32] | 2006-2008 | Thailand, 7 government use licensed medicines in ARVs, heart disease and anti-cancer | The implications of Thailand's government use licenses on health and trade and foreign investment | Regression analysis and Markov model | Estimating the increased no. of patients with access to government use license medicines from the current number of access and up to 5 years. The Markov model was used to simulate the heath impact. Trend analysis of export and foreign direct investment was employed. |
Attaran (2004)/[33] | 2003 | 65 low and middle income countries, 319 WHO essential medicines | How many medicines are under patent in low and middle income countries? | Survey | Surveying pharmaceutical companies and their patent agents to determine where and how patentable medicines in the essential list of the WHO are now patented in developing countries |
Borrell (2003)/[34] | 1995-1999 | 34 low and middle income countries, HIV/AIDS medicines | The impact of patent rights on medicine sales: reducing or increasing. | Modelling | Developing two simultaneous relationships: (1) the relationship between the likely entry decision across drug-country-year triplets and patents; and (2) the relationship between market coverage (i.e. mean coverage of patients with a specific ARV drug) and patents conditional on drug entry decisions and patent regime. |