Flexibilities under Trips sought

With the Cabinet expected to take up the Patent (Amendment) Bill tomorrow, domestic pharma companies have said the government should use the flexibilities available under the Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights (Trips) agreement and warned that the Bill in its original form could lead to evergreening of patents and a rise in the prices of drugs.

The Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA), pointed out that allowing patenting of marginal changes would promote "evergreening" of patents.