專利強制授權制度對醫藥產業發展與藥物可近性之拮抗——各國法制比較與我國法制展望

Abstract

智慧財產權保護的利益包括道德利益，社會利益與經濟利益，然而三種利益彼此可能互相衝突，醫藥品專利便是其中一種常見案例，若醫藥品在專利權的保護下，價格與可得性皆容易成為取得必需醫藥品的高門檻。關於如何使病人取得所需的專利藥物，「強制授權」制度被認為是一種可使用的彈性手段。\n本篇論文旨在分析專利強制授權制度對藥物可近性可能造成之影響。第二章從國際公約中對於強制授權的規範切入，說明目前國際上強制授權的運作條件；第三章說明強制授權的功能，其在專利權制度中可達到之經濟與公共利益的調和與平衡，對於反對者所認為「強制授權造成的經濟傷害」論點予以駁斥，並說明強制授權造成專利權人的經濟損失並不如反對者宣稱的巨大，反而因強制授權制度的存在，能有效減少濫用權利的誘因；第四章則著重分析強制授權對公共衛生政策的影響，對於開發中國家而言，建立起穩定的強制授權制度，有助於他們跨過初始的專利障礙，開始扶植本國藥廠並建立本國的藥物供應鏈，以達到獲取藥物的自主性；第五章以美國、加拿大、印度等國實施強制授權的案例，闡述強制授權在已開發國家與開發中國家的實施和效果，強調無論是以強制授權或是其他更為強勢的手段，在專利的壟斷性下，為社會利益保留一項具有彈性與最後手段的措施之必要性；第六章則就我國的專利法修法沿革分析，提出關於現行專利法中強制授權的彈性不足會造成的影響及修改的方向。

The protection of intellectual property rights includes moral interests, social interests and economic interests, but the three interests may conflict with each other. Patents of pharmaceutical product are the common cases. If the products are under the protection of patents, the price and accessibility will become the obstacles for obtaining essential medicines. The "compulsory license" system is considered to be a flexible instrument that can be used when patented drugs are required by patients.\nThis research aims to analyze the possible impact of patent compulsory license system on accessibility of medicines. \nIn the second chapter, I points out the rule of operation of compulsory license from international conventions, introducing the current international conditions. \nChapter 3 describes the function of compulsory license, that the reconciliation and balance between the economic and public interests can be achieved in the patent system. The opponents consider that economic harm would be caused by compulsory license. However, the actual economic loss of the patent owner is not as great as the opponents describe. In contrast, the incentive for the abuse of the right can be effectively reduced through the existence of the compulsory license system.\nChapter 4 focuses on how compulsory license system affects public health policies. For developing countries, the establishment of a stable compulsory license system helps them to cross the initial barriers and start to foster their own pharmaceuticals industry. Building their own medicines supply chain helps them to achieve the accessibility of medicines.\nChapter 5 illustrates the attitude toward compulsory license in developed and developing countries. The chapters introduce means of compulsory license in the United States, Canada, India and other countries. It emphasizes that, whether compulsory license or other more powerful means, to retain a flexible method for social interests is important in the patent law system.\nChapter 6 analyzes the history of Taiwan`s patent law. This chapter emphasizes the impact on lack of flexibility about compulsory license, and it mentions the direction of the amendment to Taiwan Patent Law.