In this episode of the State of the Economy podcast, BusinessLine’s Jyoti Dutta speaks with Biswajit Dhar, Professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University (Retd) and Distinguished Professor at the Council for Social Development, and discusses his 20-year history. A look back at India’s product patent system and its significant impact on society. Pharmaceutical industry and public health.
The conversation begins with Dhar explaining how the Patents Act of 1970 focused on process patents, fostered a flourishing generic drug industry, and made India a global supplier of affordable medicines by the 1980s. It starts with that. However, in 2005, the transition to product patenting under the WTO’s TRIPS Agreement reversed this trajectory, reintroducing concerns about market monopoly and affordability of essential medicines.
The debate extends to India’s recent free trade agreement with the European Free Trade Association, raising concerns about possible amendments that could prevent pre-grant challenges and undermine the original purpose of the patent framework. .
The episode also takes a closer look at India’s growing number of patents, with more than 100,000 patents being granted each year. Dahl argues that quantity is not the only benchmark for success, stressing the need to evaluate patents in the context of strong R&D spending and genuine inventive activity.
At the end of the conversation, the audience is left with a nuanced understanding of the successes and shortcomings of India’s patent system and its impact on public health.
(Host: PT Jyoti Dutta, Producer: Amitha Rajkumar)
About the economic situation podcast
India’s economy is being hailed as a bright spot amidst the gloom that currently grips the world. However, some sectors continue to stutter even though others seem to be starting to fire on all cylinders.
