Maybarduk Peter, Rimmington Sarah
Am J Law Med. 2009;35(2-3):323-50. doi: 10.1177/009885880903500205.
Cervical cancer disproportionately affects women in lower- and middle-income countries. But the new vaccines developed to prevent infection with some strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV) that cause cervical cancer are priced beyond the reach of most women and health agencies in these regions, due in part to the monopoly pricing power of brand-name companies that hold the patents on the vaccines. Compulsory licenses, which authorize generic competition with patented products, could expand access to HPV vaccines under certain circumstances. If high-quality biogeneric HPV vaccines can be produced at low cost and be broadly and efficiently registered, and if Merck and GSK are unwilling to grant licenses on a voluntary basis, compulsory licensing could play a pivotal role in ensuring vaccinations against HPVare available to all, around the world, regardless of ability to pay.
宫颈癌对低收入和中等收入国家的女性影响尤为严重。但是，为预防某些导致宫颈癌的人乳头瘤病毒（HPV）毒株感染而研发的新型疫苗价格高昂，超出了这些地区大多数女性和卫生机构的承受能力，部分原因在于持有疫苗专利的名牌公司拥有垄断定价权。强制许可授权对专利产品进行仿制药竞争，在某些情况下可以扩大HPV疫苗的可及性。如果能够低成本生产高质量的生物仿制药HPV疫苗并广泛有效地注册，并且如果默克公司和葛兰素史克公司不愿意自愿授予许可，强制许可在确保全球所有人无论支付能力如何都能接种HPV疫苗方面可能发挥关键作用。
