Compulsory licensing for pharmaceutical access in East Africa: the challenge of Kenya’s failure to adopt article 31bis of the TRIPS Agreement

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dc.contributor.authorMiriti, V. K.
dc.date.accessioned2025-05-07T15:19:04Z
dc.date.available2025-05-07T15:19:04Z
dc.date.issued2024
dc.descriptionFull - text Undergraduate research project
dc.description.abstractSub-Saharan Africa, including East Africa, grapples with profound public health challenges exacerbated by limited access to pharmaceuticals. The Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement, enacted in 1995, introduced patent rights for pharmaceutical products, restricting generic production. Article 31 of the TRIPS Agreement permits compulsory licensing to facilitate cheaper generic versions and its amendment, Article 31bis, enables countries in a regional trade area to combine their markets and thus incentivise manufacturers to supply them with the needed medicines. However, the implementation of the Article 31bis system, intended to enhance access, remains underutilized with many smaller economies lacking legislation adopting the amendment into law. Kenya's stringent patent regime, compounded by its lack of legislation implementing Article 31bis, stifles regional cooperation within the East African Community (EAC). Kenya, boasting the largest pharmaceutical market and sector in the EAC, is therefore prevented from leverage the Article 31bis system, impeding regional efforts to increase economies of scale and alleviate pharmaceutical accessibility issues. Urgent action is needed to adopt implementing legislation and unlock the potential benefits of compulsory licensing, facilitating broader regional collaboration and addressing medication access challenges in the EAC.
dc.identifier.citationMiriti, V. K. (2024). Compulsory licensing for pharmaceutical access in East Africa: The challenge of Kenya’s failure to adopt article 31bis of the TRIPS Agreement [Strathmore University]. http://hdl.handle.net/11071/15708
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11071/15708
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherStrathmore University
dc.titleCompulsory licensing for pharmaceutical access in East Africa: the challenge of Kenya’s failure to adopt article 31bis of the TRIPS Agreement
dc.typeThesis
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