Samuel Beckett's most famous play, Waiting for Godot is currently being restaged by an unusual all-new cast. Only, the setting is the corporate world and the protagonists, pharmaceutical giant, Pfizer Corporation, and the Indian government. As Mohand Sidi Said, New York-based vice president of Pfizer Corporationn and president, Africa, Middle East, Asia and Japan of the company's division, International Phramaceuticals, wryly puts it, We are actually waiting for two Godots "" total price decontrol in the Indian drug industry and an efficient Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) regime.
Sidi Said, who was recently in New Delhi to attend the Asia Society's eighth Corporate Conference, explains, Price decontrol will go a long way in removing distortions in the costing and pricing of drugs in the country, and IPR will protect us in the initial years when we introduce superior drugs and medicines.
He explains: IPR is a critical issue that will decide whether or not we increase our product profile and investment in India. India, Egypt and Argentina remain the three countries in the developing world yet to follow international norms in this matter. And IPR is a definite hurdle, as we don't see why any company should bring in their patented products, developed after years of expensive and painstaking research, without adequate protection.
It's obvious that IPR is virtually a one-point agenda for Said. He has now decided to organise technical seminars between Pfizer, different scientific and technical organisations and some domestic pharma giants like Ranbaxy.
The man in charge of Pfizer's operations in the Asian and African markets, fires a parting salvo: Non-acceptance of IPR will continue to keep all the new and specialised drugs out of the reach of Indians while the rest of the world continues to derive their benefits.
