Gaining clarity on patent law in India
Novartis is seeking clarity on how innovation is valued and protected in India. Our cancer drug Gleevec/Glivec® has been granted a patent in nearly 40 countries including China, Russia and Taiwan and we think the same should apply to India.
In India, Novartis is faced with a globalization dilemma that characterizes many emerging economic powers today: two markets within one country. India has a booming middle class on one hand, and a vast number of extremely poor people on the other.
As a result, in India, we are pursuing a dual, patient-focused strategy. We are aware of the many obstacles poor patients face regarding access to medical care there, and that is why 99% of patients who receive Gleevec/Glivec in India receive it free from Novartis. At the same time, we take affluent India as a formidable world power with all the international rights and obligations that such status brings with it. We seek to establish effective protection for genuine pharmaceutical innovation in India.
We are seeking clarity about India's patent laws. Knowing if we can rely on patents in India is good for government, industry and patients because research-based organizations will know if investing in better medicines for India is a viable long-term option.
At Novartis, we firmly believe that patents save lives by stimulating research that leads to innovative medicines. Only with effective patent laws can we continue to bring therapeutic improvements to patients that ultimately result in better patient care.
“Acknowledging innovation by granting a patent is unrelated to making medicines available. Medicines can be made available through both the safeguards in international agreements and, in the case of essential and life-saving medicines, special pricing arrangements in poor countries must be made. We play an important role as well through our Gleevec/Glivec access programs worldwide.”
Professor Paul Herrling, Ph.D., Head of Corporate Research, Novartis, and Chair of the Board of the Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases