IPR: Pharmaceuticals

Abstract

In the introductory panel of the seminar on IPR, the speakers focussed on a range of issues from what constitutes intellectual property and how to classify ‘inventions’, to the state of the Indian pharmaceutical industry and how the implementation of the WTO’s TRIPs Agreement is likely to affect large and small pharmaceutical companies in India, how patents will affect prices, technology transfer, and investments in the pharmaceutical industry, the likely impact on public health objectives and on government legislation. The range of speakers from industry, government, and international organisations included S Chandrasekaran, Deputy Controller of Patents & Designs, Patent Office, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Govt of India; M D Nair, Consultant to the Pharmaceutical Industry, Chennai, specialising in Patents & WTO matters, Technology Accession & Transfer, Biotechnology Projects, R&D Strategies, Traditional Systems of Medicine etc and author of over 80 Publications on Business, Science & Technology and R&D Strategies; P P Prabhu, former Commerce Secretary, Government of India; K Raghavendra Rao, MD, Orchid Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals and Jayashree Watal, Consultant to the WTO Secretariat.