Goyal criticizes attempts to obtain pharmaceutical patents through smaller innovations

New Delhi, April 27 (PTI) Business and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Sunday criticized some companies for trying to secure pharmaceutical patents through smaller incremental innovations, noting that such practices could deprive millions of dollars of affordable drugs.

He said the world must suffer and be deprived of quality and equitable health care only because of the “supernatural” profits of some companies and their shareholders.

“I often receive requests that we should also allow pharmaceutical companies … to make gradual changes to their patents and allow them to have new patents for another period of time, which we usually understand as conventional patents.

“It is regrettable that the whole world must suffer just to make profits from a few companies, just to get supernatural profits from selected few companies and possible shareholders,” he said at the event.

Article 3(d) of the Indian Patent Act 1970 restricts patents on already famous drugs unless the new claim is higher in terms of efficacy, while Article 3(b) prohibits patents for products targeting the public interest and does not enhance the efficacy of existing products.

Certain multinational corporations have asked India to strongly oppose these laws.

Common rights to patent rights are said to be a strategy adopted by innovators who patent their rights to products, with minor changes to the product by adding some new mixtures or formulations. This is done when their patent is about to expire.

Patents in the new form will provide innovative companies with a 20-year monopoly on drug.

Goyal also said access to quality health care is a key part of sustainable development and shared India’s journey in achieving health care for all.