Patent Bill to Hurt Public Interest: Expert
September 21, 2009, Mint

A patent and intellectual property rights Bill modelled on a 1980 Act of the US Congress and due to be tabled in
the Parliament’s December session is drawing criticism from researchers and academics for not addressing key
issues and jeopardizing public interest. Tapan Ray, director general, Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producers of India, an industry body that represents foreign drug firms operating in India, said, “The core concept of the Bill encourages innovation and ensures protection of patents and other forms of IP rights of the government-funded R&D outcomes, where the owner of the intellectual property will be the government grant recipient or the government.