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eventREF E-0013498Revised

Event record

Pharmaceutical companies drop a lawsuit against South Africa ending an international battle over patent rights and profit

Date
19 Apr 2001
Updated
30 Sep 2019
Pharmaceutical companies drop a lawsuit against South Africa ending an international battle over patent rights and profit

In 1998 the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America and thirty  nine international pharmaceutical companies brought a lawsuit against the South African government for patent infringement regarding the manufacture of generic versions of life saving anti-Aids drugs. These companies were demanding millions of dollars for the right to manufacture their drugs. This, as South Africa has one of the world's highest rates of HIV and AIDS among its population. On 19 April 2001, these companies dropped their legal challenges to South Africa and other third world countries producing generic versions of their patented drugs. Many of the pharmaceutical companies did not stop there, as some donated their drugs, and others sold their drugs at cost price, following the lawsuit.

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How we know this

  1. 01Oakley, Ellwood F.(2004), Pandemics and panaceas: the World Trade Organization's efforts to balance pharmaceutical patents and access to AIDS drugs, American Business Law Journal, Vol. (unknown), No (Unknown) (online), available at: allbusiness.com  [Accessed 12 April 2010]
  2. 02Chung.T.J, (2002), Shocking the Conscience of the World: International Norms and the Access to Aids treatment in South Africa, An essay presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for a Juris Docter Degree. (online), available at: leda.law.harvard.edu  [Accessed 12 April 2010]
  3. 03Courting Rights: Case Studies in Litigating the Human Rights of People living with HIV (2006). (online), available at: data.unaids.org  [Accessed 12 April 2010]

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2011, March 16). Pharmaceutical companies drop a lawsuit against South Africa ending an international battle over patent rights and profit. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0013498

South African History Online (2011) 'Pharmaceutical companies drop a lawsuit against South Africa ending an international battle over patent rights and profit', South African History Online, 16 March. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0013498 (Accessed: 8 August 2026).

South African History Online, Pharmaceutical companies drop a lawsuit against South Africa ending an international battle over patent rights and profit [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0013498, (accessed 8 August 2026).

"Pharmaceutical companies drop a lawsuit against South Africa ending an international battle over patent rights and profit." South African History Online, 16 Mar. 2011, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0013498. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

South African History Online. "Pharmaceutical companies drop a lawsuit against South Africa ending an international battle over patent rights and profit." South African History Online. March 16, 2011. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0013498.

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