India starts patent education effort with the basics

The recent change to India’s patent laws is indeed a sea change.  The country and affected industries are struggling even to just understand the new laws and its implications.

This article discusses a recent symposium organized to help people understand the issues.  As written, the article leaves you with the impression that the education effort is, and must, start with the absolute basics.

To wit, a Pfizer official is quoted as explaining “A patent is not an exclusive hiding of knowledge by the finder, in fact it is entirely the opposite, because companies disclose everything that it has found through the patent, to the world”

For many, fears run high regarding the effects the new law will have on the Indian pharmaceutical sector and its ability to supply medicine to third world countries.

Others see the long-term benefits of a modern patent framework:

“The new patent regime will give us incentive to innovate and come up with quality products. We will no more be looked upon as just a cheap source of generic drugs, but will instead earn reputation as a supplier of quality products.”  (Pradip Mazumdar, Director, Syngenta Bio-Science) (emphasis added)

Time will tell, of course.  Putting the new law in place is necessary but not sufficient to achieve the benefits of a strong patent system.  The “strength” must also be added.  Enforcement must be a reality.  Developing that to a point at which Indian patents are viewed as valuable assets will take time.

Either way, the Indian pharmaceutical sector will be very interesting to watch over the next several years.