How difficult is it to patent a drug from India?
Quite difficult. The entire patent office has to be modernised and has to be linked with international markets. Also with the rupee quoting at more than 40 rupees to one US dollar, it becomes very expensive for an Indian to fight a legal battle outside India. There are fears that the exclusive marketing rights to foreign companies will lead to an increase in drug prices across India. Do you agree with this view? If you look at the national health programme, whatever is required by the common man is indegenously produced and not covered by the Patent Act. Nearly 90 per cent of the drugs being marketed in the country today are not patented. EMRs may not mean much for the general population. They may have an impact on drugs being introduced now and those that will be investigated in the future. But as of today, there may not be a problem, in the context of availability of drugs for the disease pattern India has. For example, I may invent another cardio-vascular drug, but we already have e
