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4 May 2016Asia-Pacific

Australia criticised over ‘excessive’ protection for pharma patents

Australia’s patent system is “poorly targeted” and protection for pharmaceutical inventions is “excessive”, according to a government advisory committee.

The claim was included in a draft report published by the Productivity Commission (PC) on the country’s intellectual property arrangements.

The report, published on April 29, says that “excessive protection” costs the Australian government, taxpayers and consumers more than a quarter of a billion dollars each year.

Jonathan Coppel, a commissioner at the PC, said: “Contrary to views that more patents are always better, Australia's patent system is poorly targeted. Some patented inventions border on trivial and protection can last too long.

“For pharmaceuticals alone, excessive protection costs the Australian government, taxpayers and consumers over a quarter of a billion dollars each year.”

Coppel said only “genuine” innovations should be granted patent protection and that patent fees need to be “higher” to discourage rights owners from “hanging on to patents for longer than they need to”.

The report added  that a good IP system balances the interests of rights owners and users, but the Australian system has “swung too far” in favour of vocal rights owners and influential IP exporting nations.

The PC is the Australian government's independent research and advisory body. It advises on economic, social and environmental issues affecting the welfare of Australians.

The commission is accepting submissions on the report until June 3 and will hold public hearings later that month.


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27 May 2015   The Australian health minister has revealed a series of reforms that will aim to reduce spending on patented drugs from the pharmaceutical industry.
Asia-Pacific
9 October 2014   Criminal gangs in Australia are branching away from traditional forms of counterfeiting and are targeting pharmaceuticals, an Australian customs official has revealed.