The one response from the pharmaceutical sector in favor of international exhaustion stated that this system ensures easy access for consumers to lowest prices for consumers, and prevents monopolistic and abusive pricing practices by manufacturers. 7 None of the responses from the sector favored international exhaustion in any intellectual property area. International exhaustion would prevent companies from granting territorial licenses, possibly reducing technology transfer to developing countries, and reduce producers' freedom in using their intellectual property rights. 2 None of the responses from the sector favored international exhaustion in any intellectual property area. The only winner in a system of international exhaustion would be the parallel trader, not the consumer.
Regional exhaustion ensures fair competition between distributors.
7 None of the responses from the sector favored international exhaustion in any intellectual property area. International exhaustion brings little advantage to the consumer and is a great dis-incentive to innovators, especially SMEs, and inhibits technology transfer. International exhaustion would be contrary to the territorial nature of intellectual property rights. International exhaustion would not allow works to be made available in various countries at times and with promotional programs determined by the intellectual property owner. Competition from parallel trading of special low cost editions destined for developing countries may force publishers of copyrights works to stop production of local editions in the importing market and also to withdraw special low cost editions which are subject to parallel trading.