-The Indian Express The government’s proposal to price-control certain drugs will create more problems than it will solve From clothes to cars, prices of consumer products the world over are determined taking into account input costs, margins and competition, popularly called the cost-based pricing system. Departing from this sound, fair, tried and tested principle of commerce, the government’s new drug pricing policy, approved by the Group of Ministers headed by Sharad Pawar,...

-The Indian Express Notwithstanding the recent Supreme Court judgment re-drawing their eligibility criteria, Attorney General G E Vahanvati has said that the central and state information commissioners can continue for now. According to him, the SC ruling will be operative with prospective effect, but the government should not delay its review petition as the apex court’s decision is capable of creating “disarray” in their functioning. In his opinion submitted to the government...

-Al Jazeera  Organic farming is the "only way to produce food" without harming the planet and people's health. Reports trying to create doubts about organic agriculture are suddenly flooding the media. There are two reasons for this. Firstly, people are fed up of the corporate assault of toxics and GMOs. Secondly, people are turning to organic agriculture and organic food as a way to end the toxic war against the earth and...

-The Hindu Building ‘capitalism with Indian characteristics’ means decisions cannot ignore concerns of voters and communities As the economy slows down and the rupee wilts, Manmohan Singh has bitten the ‘reforms’ bullet with both eyes on the credit rating agencies whose negative reports have done much to dampen the ‘animal spirits’ of investors, foreign and native. Last November, when the Congress party made a push to introduce foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail,...

-The Economic Times MUMBAI: In a victory to generic drugmakers, the Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB) of Chennai has dismissed German pharma major Bayer's plea, seeking a stay on the Compulsory Licence issued to Hyderabad-based drugmaker Natco. The Compulsory Licence (CL) issued by the Controller of patents in March this year allowed Natco to make and sell a generic version of Nexavar - used for treating liver and kidney cancer - at...