Kenya votes for cheap drugs

Nairobi - Kenya dealt a blow to the global pharmaceutical industry yesterday by approving a bill allowing the east African country…

Nairobi - Kenya dealt a blow to the global pharmaceutical industry yesterday by approving a bill allowing the east African country to import and manufacture cheap medicines.

MPs voted unanimously to approve the Industrial Properties (IP) Bill, 2001, effectively loosening the pharmaceutical giants' hold on much-prized patent rights for a variety of medicines, including anti-retroviral AIDS drugs.

  • Join The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date

  • Sign up for push alerts to get the best breaking news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone

  • Listen to In The News podcast daily for a deep dive on the stories that matter