Agovernment panel has proposed that prices of patented medicines be based on the country’s per capita income, a move that would substantially reduce prices of costly drugs made by global pharmaceutical firms.

The proposal, which seeks the input of other government agencies as well as industry groups, could provoke the ire of Big Pharma, which has clashed with India over protection of intellectual property, price regulations for generic drugs, and compulsory licenses for costly medicines.

Each of the 3 drugs— Dasatinib Trastuzumab & Ixabepilone—costs 1L for a month’s dose

The government has appointed a panel to look into issues related to compulsory licensing of drugs and whether cheaper versions of cancer medicines Trastuzumab, Ixabepilone and Dasatinib can be launched under the provision, a person with knowledge of the development said. According to the person, the health ministry has sent its proposal regarding compulsory licensing for the three drugs to the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), which in turn has sought the opinion of the department of pharmaceuticals. Srikant Jena, Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers, however, denied having received any note.

The GI craze in India is as inexplicable as the ways in which the Registry grants it

People of Hoovina Hadagali (population: 27,958), the taluka headquarters of Bellary district of Karnataka, are inordinately proud of their variety of mallige (jasmine). So are the growers from Udipi and Mysore, all of them claiming unique and distinctive features for their varieties of these sweet-smelling flowers which are offered to temple deities or used by south Indian women to adorn their hair.

Several of India’s key concerns found a mention during the recently concluded climate talks in Doha even as the UN organised meet failed to break the ground for aggressive emission cuts or a firm f

The Doha climate talks could not take “ambitious or meaningful decisions” on financing commitments of developed countries, the government on Tuesday said.

However, India could protect its interests “fully” and succeeded in bringing the three issues of “Equity, technology-related IPRs (intellectual property rights) and the unilateral measures firmly back on the table,” it said. “Among the key concerns which the conference could not address are those relating to financing commitments of developed countries, sectoral actions and the issue of compensation for loss and damage arising from climate change,” the government said two days after the conclusion of the Doha conference.

Controversies and litigations threaten to derail a sector that once saw immense potential in India.