[Ip-health] Economic Times: DIPP Opposes Mashelkar Suggestions

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http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/PoliticsNation/DIPP_opposes_Mashel=
kar_suggestions/articleshow/1807062.cms


  NEW DELHI: The Mashelkar panel=92s controversial report which suggested I=
ndia would not honour its trade commitments if it restricts patents only to=
 new =91chemical=92 entities (new molecules) has brought the Prime Minister=
=92s Office into action. The PMO has sought clarity on the current status o=
f the report from the chemical ministry.


  The government would soon firm up its position vis-=E0-vis the document w=
hich has got entangled in plagiarism charges. Dr Mashelkar recently opted o=
ut of the committee=92s chairmanship, seeking more time from the government=
 to correct some =91technical inaccuracies=92 in the already-submitted repo=
rt.


  The department of industrial policy and promotion (DIPP) is now consideri=
ng if the report should be shelved. In that scenario, another panel would b=
e constituted to study if India can make its patent law more favourable to =
copycat drug makers without infringing WTO agreements. Meanwhile, Left part=
ies have called for a detailed examination of the subject by a joint parlia=
mentary committee.


Commerce and industry minister Kamal Nath is slated to consider the issue s=
hortly, said a senior official, who said a report which is disowned by the =
author was not of much help to the government. Dr Mashelkar, however, told =
ET that the other members of the panel might remove the technical inaccurac=
ies and re-submit the report. =93Usually, committee members are finalised i=
n consultation with its identified chairman. In his absence, no committee m=
ay function,=94 said an official.




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