A letter to the European Commissioner from the European Generic Medicines Association expresses concern about the detention of medicines in the Netherlands while en route from India to Brazil. While counterfeit medicines deserve “criminal and civil sanctions” as well as seizures, the letter says, “alleged patent infringement cannot be confused with counterfeit and public health issues.”
It further notes that the stoppage of goods in transit, while allowed in the World Trade Organization intellectual property agreement, goes above required obligation. The letter asks that a relevant European regulation, which details actions customs authorities can take for suspected IP infringement, not be applied in the case of legitimate trade in generic drugs.