Based on the above passage, the following assumptions have been made: 1. Patent protection given to patentees puts a huge burden on public's purchasing power in accessing patented medicines. 2. Dependence on other countries for pharmaceutical products is a huge burden for developing and poor countries. 3. Providing medicines to the public at affordable prices is a key goal during the public health policy design in many countries. 4. Governments need to find and appropriate balance between the rights of patentees and the requirements of the patients. Which of the above assumptions are valid?

Passage

Pharmaceutical patents grant protection to the patentee for the duration of the patent term. The patentees enjoy the liberty to determine the price of medicines, which is time-limited to the period of monopoly, but could be unaffordable to the public. Such patent protection offered to the patentees is believed to benefit the public over the longer term through innovations and research and development (R&D), although it comes at a cost, in the nature of higher prices for patented medicine. The patent—provide the patentee with a legitimate mechanism to get returns on the costs incurred in innovation and research.

QUESTION

CSAT

Easy

Comprehension

Prelims 2023

Based on the above passage, the following assumptions have been made:

Patent protection given to patentees puts a huge burden on public's purchasing power in accessing patented medicines.
Dependence on other countries for pharmaceutical products is a huge burden for developing and poor countries.
Providing medicines to the public at affordable prices is a key goal during the public health policy design in many countries.
Governments need to find and appropriate balance between the rights of patentees and the requirements of the patients.

Which of the above assumptions are valid?

Select an option to attempt

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct: The line, “The patentees enjoy the liberty to determine the prices of medicines, which is time-limited to the period of monopoly, but could be unaffordable to the public assumes that patent protection puts a huge burden on the purchasing power of the public and may even make its access unaffordable.

Statement 2 is incorrect: Although this statement is true in general, it is beyond the scope of the passage as it nowhere talks about the burden imposed on developing and poor countries as a whole in accessing pharmaceutical products.

Statement 3 is incorrect: This statement is also true in general, however, the passage does not talk about the public health policy design of the countries and its goals.

Statement 4 is correct: The line, “Such patent protection offered to the patentees is believed to benefit the public over the long term through innovation and research and development (R&D), although it comes at a cost, in the nature of higher prices for the patented medicines” indicates the desirability of the patent regime and price protection. At the same time, higher medicines prices put a burden on the public. Therefore, governments need to balance short-term needs with long-term goals.

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