自由貿易協定之潮流及其對公共衛生與健康之影響

Free Trade Agreements and Its Impact on Public Health

江素慧(Su-Hui Chiang)

《台灣國際研究季刊》 5卷2期 (2009/06) Pp. 105-138

摘要

藥物與醫療照護服務被歸類爲一種產品或服務商品，是全球自由貿易中重要的標的亦屬於智慧財產權保護的範圍。世界貿易組織架構下的『與貿易相關之智慧財產權協定』對智慧財產權已有相當程度的保護，然而除了多邊體制下的規範之外，方興未艾的雙邊自由貿易協定亦包含了與智財權相關的規定，並針對藥品，提供了較TRIPS規範更多的保護條款，而這種作法在許多人眼中，是造成第三世界民眾公共衛生與健康權益損失的關鍵因素。 本文論述近年來雙邊自由貿易協定興起的原因，分析美國推動自由貿易協定的動機，探討這些協定中的智慧財產權規定與協定的關係。這些超越相關智慧財產權協定的條款將會限制許多國家民眾對藥品的可承擔性與可近性，從而影響民眾健康與公共衛生之福祉。此外，向來挾雙邊FTA促進其權益的歐美藥品工業也正密切注意美國政治與全球經濟上的變革，以求維持其影響力不墜。

關鍵字

自由貿易協定 ； 與貿易相關之智慧財產權協定 ； 藥品專利 ； 藥品可近性 ； 美國藥品研究與製造商協會

並列摘要

Pharmaceuticals or drugs are important targets in the global free trade and fell within the domain of intellectual property right protection. The Agreement on Trade-Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) under WTO constructs certain protection guidance about patents, copyright, trade marks and other intellectual property rights related to pharmaceuticals. The consensus achieved in TRIPS Agreement creates tremendous impacts on many developing countries. Meanwhile, a new wave of bilateral free trade agreements (FTA) has emerged. USA is the prime initiative of such bilateral free trade talks. These bilateral FTAs often construct more protection on intellectual property rights, especially for drugs.
This article reviews the rise of FTAs, it also analyzes the rationale behind USA initiative in FTA negotiations, and then explores the TRIPSPlus provisions in FTAs which will create restrictive barriers for public affordability and accessibility of medicines. Finally, the major interest group, PhRMA or the pharmaceutical industries, must manage new strategies to confront the upcoming political and economic challenges.

並列關鍵字

free trade agreement FTA ； TRIPS/TRIPS-plus ； drug patent ； access to medicines ； PhRMA

參考文獻

CNN

Medical News Today(2008/02/25)

Global Financial Crisis, Stock Markets, Job Cut Down and the Pharmaceutical Industry

Free Trade Agreements Dilemmas

Financial Times(2009/01/09)