Hindu : 2 Apr - Editorial : Verdict to the Rescue

The article talks about supreme court's verdict on Novartis's patent file for a cancer drug. Supporting the judgement which ruled out that patent is invalid since the new drug isn't a new invention but a modification of existing drug. This judgement was a big relief to cancer patients all over India as they can now access other generic drugs with the same formula at a lesser price. If Novartis had wont he case, the patented drug which costs around Rs.1,00,000 per month would have been inaccessable even for the upper middle class of our country. Article points out how these big companies try to file patentst to attain monopoly in the market while forgetting the purpose of creating the drug in the first place. Any organisation especially pharma should try to invent something which can be used by everyone. Author suggests that even if a Drug is patented, the company should make sure that it doesnt price it too high which makes it impossible for a common man to get treated. A key obseervation is made through this article that the amount of money and time spent on producing a new drug which goes through all stages is not exactly as its projected on paper and scientist says it way too less. some companies wantedly project those figures to justify the price and patent it in a conventional way. Its sad to know that treatment for chronic illness is being considered as a costly business instead of a everyone's cure. And author supports supreme court's verdict which took a brave step in an attempted monopoly.

Regulation must be made strict to avoid such claims in future. Article also gives an example of another big pharma company which was planning to file a patent and approach the supreme court if the verdict had favored Novartis.Article ends with a note that it should be understood that in developing countries like India generic drugs rule the market but not those 10% of costly drugs which are actually patented.Even if thebig players want to patent their drugs to avoid illegal market share then patent will be welcomed only if they are willing to sell their drug at a nominal price and authors feels that nominal price will not effect their business since they hold the patent so no other company would dare to replicate the drug. Hence a patented drug at a nominal price would be a possible solution for bigger companies if they want to attain monopoly at the same time run the business without overlooking common man

                                                                                           - Vamshi Regalla