GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.619
TO BE ANSWERED ON 24-02-2009
PATENTING OF INDIAN MOLECULES BY MNC'S
619. SHRI SURESH ANGADI:

Will the Minister of SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY be pleased to state:

(a) whether new molecule stems under drug and research programme funded by the Government are being sold to MNCs at low prices who finally develop these abroad and then patent these molecules in India;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether selling of new molecule stems in this way is in consonance with our Intellectual Property Right on Medicines;
(d) if so, the details thereof; and
(e) the steps being taken by the Government to protect the country's Intellectual Property Rights?

ANSWER
MINISTER OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AND MINISTER OF EARTH SCIENCES
(KAPIL SIBAL)

(a) No Sir. Though 15 product patents on the molecules developed under Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Research Programme have been filed by the various institutions/industries, none of these molecules have been sold to any of the MNCs for further development abroad.
(b) Does not arise.
(c) to (e): Under Drugs & Pharmaceuticals Research Programe an agreement is signed among the concerned institutions. The agreement, inter-alia, specifies how the Intellectual Property Right (IPR) generated in the research project would be shared among the parties to the agreement. These conditions are in consonance with the existing guidelines of the Government on IPR sharing. Besides, Department of Science & Technology (DST) under the Patent Facilitating Scheme has been extending full financial and technical support for protection of Intellectual Property emanating from the Indian Public funded R&D institutions / academia. Similarly, the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) under Technopreneur Promotion Programme (TePP) supports Indian individual innovators for realization of innovation by way of developing prototypes of novel products, processes & devices and to protect them through patents.