Canada already did that once in regards to Cipro (anthrax antidote patented by bayer) back in 2001. The Bush gov forced Bayer to sell it for way cheaper, by threathing to buy generics instead.
Canada forced to honour Bayer's patent on ciprofloxacin (BMJ. 2001 Oct 27; 323(7319): 956.
PMCID: PMC1172996)
> In an embarrassing mix-up, Canada's federal government will pay twice for a supply of the antibiotic ciprofloxacin (marketed as Cipro) that it ordered to protect Canadians in case they are faced with an outbreak of anthrax, as has happened in the United States.
...
> After a meeting of officials from the health department and both companies on Monday, the government announced it will still pay the generic firm the amount of its contract— $C1.3m (£580 000; $824 000)—and will buy another 900 000 tablets from Bayer. Bayer's price is said to be $C2.50 a tablet, compared with Apotex's $C1.50.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1172996/
Canadian government almost swamped by ciprofloxacin (BMJ. 2001 Nov 3; 323(7320): 1026. PMCID: PMC1173010)
> Canada's federal government has narrowly avoided having to pay for twice as much of the antibiotic ciprofloxacin (Cipro) as it thinks it needs to protect its citizens in the case of an outbreak of anthrax.
> The federal health department circumvented its own drug patent rules when it ordered about 900 000 tablets of the medication from a generic drug manufacturer, Apotex. The patent, held by Bayer AG, does not expire until 2004. Bayer reportedly threatened to sue. But after an announcement by the government that it would both pay the generic firm the amount of its contract—$C1.3m (£574 000; $825 000)—and buy another 900 000 tablets from Bayer, both drug companies let the health minister, Allan Rock, off the hook.
...
> Under the patent act, the government could have obtained authorisation to have a non-patented version of ciprofloxacin on a non-commercial basis, but it failed to ask for this.
skylanh|5 years ago
Other interesting results were:
Canada forced to honour Bayer's patent on ciprofloxacin (BMJ. 2001 Oct 27; 323(7319): 956. PMCID: PMC1172996)
> In an embarrassing mix-up, Canada's federal government will pay twice for a supply of the antibiotic ciprofloxacin (marketed as Cipro) that it ordered to protect Canadians in case they are faced with an outbreak of anthrax, as has happened in the United States.
...
> After a meeting of officials from the health department and both companies on Monday, the government announced it will still pay the generic firm the amount of its contract— $C1.3m (£580 000; $824 000)—and will buy another 900 000 tablets from Bayer. Bayer's price is said to be $C2.50 a tablet, compared with Apotex's $C1.50. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1172996/
Canadian government almost swamped by ciprofloxacin (BMJ. 2001 Nov 3; 323(7320): 1026. PMCID: PMC1173010)
> Canada's federal government has narrowly avoided having to pay for twice as much of the antibiotic ciprofloxacin (Cipro) as it thinks it needs to protect its citizens in the case of an outbreak of anthrax.
> The federal health department circumvented its own drug patent rules when it ordered about 900 000 tablets of the medication from a generic drug manufacturer, Apotex. The patent, held by Bayer AG, does not expire until 2004. Bayer reportedly threatened to sue. But after an announcement by the government that it would both pay the generic firm the amount of its contract—$C1.3m (£574 000; $825 000)—and buy another 900 000 tablets from Bayer, both drug companies let the health minister, Allan Rock, off the hook.
...
> Under the patent act, the government could have obtained authorisation to have a non-patented version of ciprofloxacin on a non-commercial basis, but it failed to ask for this.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1173010/