Chavez may end patents on medicine in Venezuela

[Die Neue Zeit]

http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUSN2148323120090621



Chavez may end patents on medicine in Venezuela



CARACAS, June 21 (Reuters) - President Hugo Chavez has vowed to shake up the rules governing intellectual property rights on medicines and other products in Venezuela, the socialist's latest move against the private sector.

"A song is intellectual property, but an invention or a scientific discovery should be knowledge for the world, especially medicine," Chavez said late on Saturday.

"That a laboratory does not allow us to make a medicine because they have the patent, no, no, no," Chavez said.

Chavez, who has nationalized many Venezuela industries and is critical of the private sector, ordered his trade minister to analyze the patent rules in the OPEC nation.

"Patents have become a barrier to production, and we cannot allow them to be barriers to medicine, to life, to agriculture," said the minister, Eduardo Saman, who previously headed Venezuela's patent agency.

"We are revising all the doctrines and laws related to patents, which should be compatible with the international treaties that we have signed and respect and honor."

Chavez recently criticized Swedish packaging maker Tetra Pak, saying its patents on cartons were limiting production in Venezuela.

(Reporting by Frank Jack Daniel, editing by Vicki Allen)

[MikeSC]

Very good news indeed, I've been moaning about pharmaceutical companies holding researchers for ransom with gene-patents and patents of techniques and so on for some time. Jolly good show, Chavez!

[Misanthrope]

Great news. :thumbup1:

[Dooga Aetrus Blackrazor]

How is this guy supporting the Iranian election results while simultaneously making such a progressive choice? I don't understand bourgeois politics.

[piet11111]

i hope this will clue in some other world leaders.

but i doubt it as they are guided by money instead of sanity.

[Dimentio]

How is this guy supporting the Iranian election results while simultaneously making such a progressive choice? I don't understand bourgeois politics.


"My enemy's enemy is my friend"

[KurtFF8]

Excellent move by Chavez. Rx companies holding such power in an industry so vital to million's well being is one of the more obvious negative points of capitalism. Even mainstream liberals like to go after Rx companies (but of course cry for regulation and "reduction of profits"). This shows that radical alternatives aren't only possible but necessary for human progress.

Thumbs up to Chavez! (Oh wait, he's an enemy to the left/not perfect, we must reject this!!!)

[BIG BROTHER]

Wow totally great. Health the way I see it, is something a lot of people are starting to see can't be based on profit. Hopefully this is copied in more places.

[RedSonRising]

This is an especially important move concerning both the issue/definition of intellectual property and the importance of the masses having access to important innovations in technology for the betterment of everyday life.

It is strange, it seems every day I hear something bad and something good about Chavez, but no doubt this vital reform has me absent of complaints.

[RedHal]

How is this guy supporting the Iranian election results while simultaneously making such a progressive choice? I don't understand bourgeois politics.

He's dealing with real life geopolitics here, not some intellectual theoretical excercise that has no impact in the real world. When the world's most powerful empire has targeted him for overthrow since he's been president, yeah it would be wise to make as many friends as possible.
Maybe when the international socialist movement isn't as week as it is, Chavez and other leftist leaders can be more active. To some if socialism isn't created overnight, it's a failure.

[the last donut of the night]

Another thumbs up for Chavez.