The projects being processed in Congress that provide for the breaking or extension of patents on medicines, such as weight-loss pens, do not have government supportsaid this Thursday (12) the vice-president of the Republic and minister of Development, Industry, Commerce and Services (Mdic).
According to him, changes in intellectual property rules create legal uncertainty and deter investment.
The statement was given after a meeting with representatives from Interfarma, a pharmaceutical industry association.
Last week, the Chamber of Deputies approved the urgency regime for Bill 68/26, which allows the compulsory licensing – in practice, the breaking of patents – of medicines such as Mounjaro and Zepboundknown as slimming pens. The text can be voted directly in the plenary.
“Our position is the opposite. We need innovation, predictability and investments. When you break the patent, you create legal uncertainty and deter investment”, said Alckmin, at a press conference.
The medications mentioned are indicated for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity. The project changes intellectual property legislation to allow compulsory licensing in cases of public interest.
The vice president also took a stance against proposals that provide for the extension of patent deadlines. For him, extension beyond the period stipulated by law could make products more expensive and harm different sectors of the economy.
“Neither break patents nor extend the deadline beyond what was expected. Extensions make the product more expensive for the consumer and affect sectors such as health and agriculture. We need stable rules”, he said.
Alckmin also highlighted the reduction in the average period for analyzing requests at the National Institute of Industrial Property (Inpi), which, according to him, fell from six years and two months, in January 2023, to four years and four months currently. The goal is to reach two years, a standard considered international.
Meat and China
The vice president also commented on China’s decision to establish an annual quota of around 1.1 million tons for meat imports. In 2025, Brazil exported approximately 1.7 million tons to the Chinese market.
According to Alckmin, the Brazilian government presented two requests to the vice-president of China, Han Zheng, through the Sino-Brazilian High-Level Commission for Concertation and Cooperation (Cosban).
The first is the withdrawal of the new quota for shipments made before January 1, 2026. The second is the possibility that any volumes not used by other countries may be relocated to Brazil.
“The demand for meat is great. If a country doesn’t fill the quota, we want to fill that space,” he said.
Alckmin said he was awaiting a response from the Chinese authorities and classified the removal of Brazilian meat from the list of products subject to the surcharge announced by the United States as positive.
