Estimating the Effects of Global Patent Protection in Pharmaceuticals: A Case Study of Quinolones in India
利用印度药品市场数据，实证研究TRIPS协议要求发展中国家实施药品专利对福利的影响，发现即使存在价格管制，专利保护仍导致印度经济显著福利损失，主要来自消费者福利损失。
Under the Agreement on Trade-Related Intellectual Property Rights, the World Trade Organization members are required to enforce product patents for pharmaceuticals. In this paper we empirically investigate the welfare effects of this requirement on developing countries using data for the fluoroquinolones subsegment of the systemic anti-bacterials segment of the Indian pharmaceuticals market. Our results suggest that concerns about the potential adverse welfare effects of TRIPS may have some basis. We estimate that the withdrawal of all domestic products in this subsegment is associated with substantial welfare losses to the Indian economy, even in the presence of price regulation. The overwhelming portion of this welfare loss derives from the loss of consumer welfare.