This thesis investigates the implications of implementing TRIPS in India for access to medicines drawing on three major factors: (i) the TRIPS agreement, (ii) the global pharmaceutical industry and (iii) the development of Indian pharmaceutical industry and the level of access to medicines in India. In doing so, the thesis examines the requirements of the TRIPS agreement and analyses the costs and benefits of its implementation, especially from a developing country view point. The fairness test shows that TRIPS prematurely forces developing countries to adopt protection standards, which a number of developed countries themselves did not adopt until they had achieved a certain level of economic developmen