Healthy Skepticism Library item: 14185
Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.
Publication type: Journal Article
Malhotra P.
The impact of TRIPS on innovation and exports: a case study of the pharmaceutical industry in India.
Indian J Med Ethics. 2008 Apr-Jun; 5:(2):61-5
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18624153
Abstract:
Currently, there is a debate on what impact the implementation of the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) in India would have on its pharmaceutical industry and health care. The debate hinges primarily on two major questions. First, will the new patent regime provide an impetus for innovation in the pharmaceutical industry? Second, how far will India’s pharmaceutical exports of copied versions of patented drugs to developing countries be restricted under the new regime? The first question seeks to find out if TRIPS will increase India’s innovative capabilities to fill the current vacuum to develop drugs for tropical diseases. The large multinational companies (MNCs) that dominate the global pharmaceutical industry have no interest in commercial ventures that have little potential for great returns on investment. The second question attempts to find a solution to the lack of access to medicine in most developing countries. Indian manufacturers’ supply of reverse-engineered drugs, which cost only a fraction of the prices charged by MNCs, may be coming to an end under the new regime. Against this backdrop, this article attempts to analyse the impact of strengthening intellectual property rights in India.
Keywords:
Developing Countries
Diffusion of Innovation*
Dissent and Disputes
Drug Costs
Drug Design
Drug Evaluation/ethics
Drug Evaluation/statistics & numerical data
Drug Industry/ethics
Drug Industry/organization & administration*
Economic Competition
Entrepreneurship/ethics
Entrepreneurship/organization & administration
Humans
India
Intellectual Property*
International Cooperation*
Investments
Ownership
Patents as Topic*/ethics
Patents as Topic*/statistics & numerical data
