TRIPS agreement and generics

The agreement requires World Trade Organization (WTO) member countries to have strong intellectual property rights protection in their national laws – including patent protection for pharmaceuticals. Most countries implement TRIPS straight away. Developing and least-developed countries are given 10 and 20 years to implement respectively. Prior to TRIPS, developing countries could produce or acquire generic versions of high cost drugs at more competitive prices. TRIPS makes this more difficult. The signing of the agreement galvanises treatment access campaigns against Big Pharma.