[india-drug] Effect of product patent on drug availability

["G.P. Mohanta" <gpmohanta@hotmail.com>]

Effect of product patent on drug availability
---------------------------------------------

Dear I Drug Participants,


It is reported that with amendment of Indian patent Act, many drugs 
available in Indian market can not be manufactured any more by Indian
companies. These have been manufactured in our country taking advantage
of our patent act which allowed only process patent.

I wish to bring this hypothesis for the attention of members and will 
be glad if the members think of the issue seriously.

With product patent regime coming shortly into effect with a patent 
period of 20 years, it is likely that multinational and national giants
will launch many new drugs. With all resources at their disposal, they
will impress upon the medical practitioners to prescribe their drugs.
The medical practitioners may do so specially if the new drugs are
affordable or have comparable price as that of existing alternatives.
These alternatives (many of them are under price control regulation and
manufactured by small and medium sector industries) may not find market
or takers, as new drugs will be used in their place. Such a situation
may cause stopping of production leading to slow death of the companies
currently surviving on selling these products.

If a situation arises when these drugs are not available for use, the
manufacturers of the new drugs will increase the prices. The medicines 
would be definitely unaffordable.

If the drug companies marketing new drugs take a long-term strategy, 
Then there is every possibility that they may make the drugs available
at affordable price and sustain this for sometime to eliminate the 
alternatives from the scene and then increase the price of new drugs. A
good business strategy in deed.

Lets hope such a situation will not arise. Many do not agree with this
hypothesis telling there is no such module.

I shall be pleased to receive comments.

Thanks for reading the text.


Dr. Guru Prasad Mohanta

Professor, 
Division of Pharmacy Practice, 
Department of Pharmacy,
Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar - 608 002
Tamil Nadu, INDIA
E. Mail: gpmohanta@hotmail.com



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