Dutch Move On Pharmacy Compounding Could Deter Orphan Drug Launches

Medicines prepared in pharmacies are now exempt from patent law in the Netherlands, giving pharmacists greater scope to prepare their own versions of patented medicines.

A provision of the 1995 Dutch patent law has now come into force that gives pharmacists greater scope to compound lower-cost versions of patented medicines. The move could harm access to orphan medicines, lead to more parallel imports and undermine patient safety, claims the Dutch R&D-based pharmaceutical industry lobby group, Association Innovative Medicines.

The provision is part of Article 53 of the 1995 Patent Act, which sets out exclusive rights for patent right...