How is Indias traditional knowledge on medicinal plants going to be protected and what is being done to avoid patents on Indian medicinal plants?
As per International Patent Classification (IPC) non-patent literature sources are many and diverse as compared to patent literature which is usually wholly contained in several distinctive databases. The situation when patent literature being easy searchable and available resources of non-patent literature sources very wanting leads to wrong granting of patent rights to newly claimed subject mater, especially patents on medicinal plants/plant products. In order to address the need of having easily accessible non-patent literature data base pertaining to traditional knowledge of uses of medicinal plants/medicinal plant based products or formulations, the concept of Traditional knowledge Digital Library (TKDL) is in the process of creation. This TKDL put to use will have a dual role to contribute in avoidance of grant of patents, firstly being productive in nature it will provide readily the information to examiners of patents during the examination process for grant of patent and secon
