Pharma Patent Evergreening Sparks Debate: Goyal Advocates for Equitable Healthcare

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has strongly condemned the practice of evergreening patents in the pharmaceutical sector. Attending the World Health Summit Regional Meeting, Goyal pointed to repeated requests from drug companies to extend patent protection via minor tweaks to already available drugs. This technique, evergreening, tends to favor business profits over accessible global healthcare, denying millions of cheap medicines.

Goyal underscored that the patent laws of India, especially Section 3(d) of the Indian Patents Act, are framed to stop such acts by limiting patents for established medicines unless they prove to have improved efficacy. He added that multinational companies have repeatedly tried to have these laws amended, but India has stood firm against these attempts to protect public health.

The minister emphasized the significance of access to good healthcare as a pillar of sustainable development. He cited India's Ayushman Bharat scheme, which offers free care for more than 620 million individuals, as evidence of the country's devotion to compassion-based healthcare as opposed to profit-based motives.

Goyal's comments come amidst ongoing debates about balancing innovation incentives with public health interests. He called for international cooperation in clinical trials and research, especially in conventional medicines, to establish stringent safety standards without compromising scientific proof.

Sources: The Economic Times, Rediff, Business Standard, Good Returns.