Over the recent past, Geographical Indications (GIs) have emerged as a significant form of intellectual property rights in the Indian context. In view of the commercial potential of handicrafts, adequate legal measures of GIs becomes necessary to prevent their unauthorized utilization.

Original Source

The Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act (DPCPTRA), informally known as the ‘Hatch-Waxman Act’, introduced in 1984, modified the Patent Act of 1952 and Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act Section 21 U.S.C. 355(j) to simplify approval process of generic drugs by FDA by filing Abbreviated New Drug Applications (ANDAs). This Act also provided some incentives to innovators as well as generic companies by way of patent extension based on regulatory delays as well as 180-day exclusivity to generic companies that have the first-to-file (FTF) ANDA against patents listed in Orange Book. This paper reports the first-time generic drugs approved by FDA during 2004-08 and the number of ANDAs receiving 180-day exclusivities as well as the impact of DPCPTRA on Indian pharma industry.

A patent is an exclusive right awarded by the intellectual property (IP) authority of a state to an inventor or his assignee for a limited period of time in lieu of disclosure of an invention for the benefit of mankind. In recent times, it has become a practice by a number of innovator companies to extend the patent term of their innovative molecules to maintain market dominance.

With the advent of "World Wide Web", the Cyberspace has spread its tenatacles throughout the globe bringing in its wake highly controversial issues. Despite advantages of this matrix of immense utility, the Internet poses potential threat to the Internet Service Providers (ISPs) of incurring liability for no fault of theirs.

The World Trade Organization (WTO) was set up in 1995 and has been the custodian of all matters related to the implementation of the TRIPS Agreement endorsed by the 152 member countries. WTO is therefore the most important body which monitors and influences working of global intellectual property rights protection in all the member countries.

The paper analyses trends in patents filed/owned from India in the area of information technology (IT). The Delphion Database was searched for finding the patents filed/owned in IT where assignee address contains string

Post TRIPS and WTO India

Comparative advertising by means of using another's trademark is permissible, however while doing so the advertiser cannot disparage the goods or services of another. Any such act disparaging the goods or services of another shall not only be an act constituting infringement of the trademark, but shall also be an act constituting product disparagement.

Trade secrets protection has acquired increased significance in the present scenario especially in view of the opening up of the world market and enhanced competition worldwide. Moreover, the fact that trade secret protection is increasingly being preferred over patent protection as a method for protecting undisclosed information has added to its significance. This paper sketches the broad outline of the trade secret protection law that exists in India and highlights its inadequacy especially in view of the legal regime existing in other countries such as the US.

A patent on a process for making storage - stable edible food materials from kernels of gorgon nuts or fox nut (Euryale ferox) has tremendous impact on biodiversity resulting in triggered mass culture and commercialization of this aquatic macrophyte. Besides ecological impact, it has social and economic impacts too. This paper studied the impact of the patent on biodiversity at micro level. The study reveals that mass culture of these plants in water bodies instead of fishes has created an interlinked ecological, social and economic imbalance.