Moser Baer has developed an innovative strategy to fight copyright infringement. Read Shamnad’s post on Moser Baer and its pricing plans for more context here. Moser Baer has brought over the rights to numerous movies ranging from classics like Kora Kagaaz to newer hits like Jab We Met which are being sold at prices ranging from Rs. 30 (VCD) and Rs. 39 (DVD to Rs. 34 and Rs. 49 respectively. Since these days most pirated versions cost more than this …
Novo Nordisk and Merck and Co are giving out positive indications with regard to expansion plans in India. Novo Nordisk is motivated by the fact that its status as a leader in the diabetes field will be cemented if it can effectively tap into the Indian market as around 40 million people are suffering from diabetes in India. They have also expressed interest in new drug discovery and manufacturing partnerships. One manifestation of this interest can be witnessed in their …
The Central Government has approved plans to establish an All India Institute of Ayurveday in New Delhi with a budget outlay of Rs 150 crores . The Department of Ayush is scouting for support staff. The Institute will facilitate scientific validation, quality control, standardization and safety evaluation of Ayurveda products. It also aims to have standardised Ayurveda-based tertiary health delivery, promotion of interdisciplinary research and education of Ayurveda at postgraduate and postdoctoral levels. The Institute will be on the lines …
Spicy Tidbits: All India Institute of Ayurveda to be established Read More »
The Central Government has put up a proposal for an Institute for Alternatives to Animal Experimentation in the 11th Plan. The Indian Council of Medical Research is working alternative ways of testing and substitute technologies despite the fact that animal testing is a requirement for various stages of drug trials and scientists are pushing more relaxed norm. Besides, the DBT has also launched steps to develop in vitro screening system for screening plant extracts having anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, anti-amoebiasis, anti- leishmaniasis, …
A draft Medical Devices Regulation Bill has been formulated for the classification of such medical devices which may not be covered by the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. The Bill provides for the creation of a Medical Device Regulatory Authority which has been empowered with extensive powers relating to fining and imprisoning defaulters. With a diverse range and multitude of medical devices are in use, which aremanufactured using a wide variety of technologies with the result that forensuring the safety of …
Spicy Tidbits: Medical Devices Regulation Bill formulated Read More »
Here’s an encouraging article I came across recently. BBC News reports that India and Pakistan are working jointly to register a GI for Basmati rice. The implications of such cooperation are extremely profitable as Basmati accounts for more than half the rice consumed in Europe and the Middle East. As the Indian share in the Basmati market has increased in the past few years Pakistan has suffered and so this GI will be a real aid to their market share. …
In a follow up to a recent post on allegations of collusion between US drug companies and Indian pharma companies with regard to delaying the entry of generic drugs in the US market the US anti-competitive practices watch dog Federal Trade Commission has identified Ranbaxy amongst 4 other firms as being part of the ploy. It is alleged that these companies recieved in excess of $200 million to delay the entry of generic drugs into the US market till 2012 …
The Hindu reports that Indian pharma companies are seeking a 2oo% tax rebate on R&D. Read in conjunction with my recent post on Indian pharma companies entering into collaboration with foreign firms for research we see our pharma companies are intent to promote research in a big way. In its representation to Finance Ministry, industry chamber Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA) asserted that incentives in research and development (R&D) are required to boost the credentials of the sector from being a …
Spicy IP Tidbit: Indian Pharma companies seek 200% rebate Read More »
An interesting piece by Benedetto Della Vedova on the Patent Reform Act about to be passed in America. Read the full piece here. The relevance of this to us in India is that apart from the inclusion of the first to file approach is the introduction of the post-grant review process. Perhaps most damaging, the Patent Reform Act provides a post-grant review process that allows any patent to be challenged ad infinitum. This would increase costs for inventors and jeopardize …
Spicy IP Tidbit: Patent Reform in the USA, happy pharma companies in India Read More »
I came across a very angst ridden article on Microsoft’s new IP curriculum. The full text of the article can be found here. Basically the author seems upset about the attempts of Microsoft to brainwash children with an education program relating to copyright protection. The awareness program is based on the premise that if kids knew about the criminal repercussions and law relating to copyright infringement they would be less likely to indulge in it. Fair enough I guess but …
