China may give drug sector booster jab

It could ignore US patents and copyrights on pharmaceuticals amid brewing trade war

A law enforcement officer from the market supervision and administration bureau checking vaccines in Rongan, China.
A law enforcement officer from the market supervision and administration bureau checking vaccines in Rongan, China. PHOTO: EPA-EFE
New: Gift this subscriber-only story to your friends and family

In one heart-rending scene of a surprise summer hit here Dying To Survive, an elderly leukaemia patient begs a detective to end his investigation into the smuggling of illegal generic drugs - which are one-eightieth the cost of the real deal - from India into China.

"Since I became ill, the (legal) drugs have cost me my home and bled my family dry," the patient says. "Now we have an affordable option, yet you insist that they are fake."

Already a subscriber? 

Read the full story and more at $9.90/month

Get exclusive reports and insights with more than 500 subscriber-only articles every month

Unlock these benefits

  • All subscriber-only content on ST app and straitstimes.com

  • Easy access any time via ST app on 1 mobile device

  • E-paper with 2-week archive so you won't miss out on content that matters to you

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on July 26, 2018, with the headline China may give drug sector booster jab. Subscribe