US Big Pharma calls for action against India

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) has asked the US Trade Representative’s office to place India and 12 other countries on the Priority Watch List in its 2016 Special 301 Report, which identifies countries the US believes do not adequately protect intellectual property rights. PhRMA was particularly critical of India, objecting to the country’s law that considers drugs unpatentable if they are merely a new form of an existing drug – a practice known as “evergreening.” The industry is also concerned about India’s 2012 decision to allow an Indian generic drug maker to sell its version of a patented drug without the consent of the patent holder. India is the world’s largest supplier of generic medicines and Big Pharma fear this will become the norm in the developing world.
 

Big Pharma, which is under attack in the U.S. for its pricing and patent policies, has gone on the offensive overseas. It has asked the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office to place India and 12 other countries on the priority watch list in its 2016 Special 301 report, which identifies countries the U.S. believes do not adequately protect intellectual property rights.

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), a group that represents leading pharma and biotech companies in the U.S., was particularly critical of India in comments it submitted this week to the USTR in advance of a March hearing regarding trade issues and the Special 301 report.