Indian patent laws have rightly been made stringent to avoid patents from lasting forever (“Biologics, patents and drug prices”, Feb. 8). This was made possible after the Patents (Amendment) Act of 2005 to align with the TRIPS agreement. India has given more importance to public health and welfare over scientific research and innovation. But for a developing nation, both research and social welfare must go hand in hand. By promoting compulsory licensing and prohibiting secondary patents, healthcare is being made accessible to poorer sections but at the cost of pharmaceutical companies being crowded out, since an environment that favours business is available in countries such as the U.S. To strike a balance between the two, India has to stand for the cause even on international forums and request developed countries to discourage secondary patents. This way, every country will get a fair chance in business and research development.
Vyshali Karthikeyan,
Bengaluru
