-Business Standard Indian and other generic drug firms face prospect of US legislature debating compensation for undue price rises Indian generic drug makers might, if a proposed US law comes about, need to pay a rebate to the federal Medicaid programme there when prices of their medications outpace inflation. A Bill is to be introduced in the US Senate by a member, aimed to cushion the impact on taxpayers in this manner...

-Economic and Political Weekly The National Democratic Alliance government has constituted the IPR Think Tank which, among other things, is to draft the National Intellectual Property Rights Policy. India may not have a policy per se but it has a strong legislation on IPRs, a functioning patents office and mechanisms to grant patents as well as protect consumer interests. The Think Tank has other issues it needs to address, but is...

-The Hindu The Working Group on Intellectual Property can serve as a platform where real time solutions to meet India's need for low-cost medicines can be addressed After what seemed like a historic trip for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which held out the promise of reshaping India-U.S. relations positively, the initiation of the Out-of-Cycle Review (OCR) by the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has brought a sobering reality check as to what...

-Down to Earth Pharma company's strategy of different prices for different countries to affect quality treatment of 185 million people infected with Hepatitis C worldwide Health activists and agencies on Tuesday criticised leading pharmaceutical company Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS)'s commercial strategy to sell new Hepatitis C medicine Daclatasvir, stating it would exclude a large number of patients who cannot afford expensive treatment. BMS had announced that it would create a tiered pricing strategy for...

-The Hindu Tackling TB requires both strengthening the public sector and engaging the private sector Over 60 per cent of all Indians seek health care in the private sector according to India's last National Family Health Survey. This undoubtedly makes the private sector the largest provider of health services in India. The government health system, though vast and well-intentioned, continues to be overburdened with multiple challenges including long waiting hours, an ageing...