Indian scientists must develop domestic genetically modified crops rather than rely on unsuitable foreign technology.

Original Source

The outrageous price rise of the 62-year-old drug, Daraprim (Pyrimethamine) has sent the United States medical fraternity into a dizzy. The price of the drug was raised from USD 13.50 to USD 750 per pill in just over a month. This obnoxious price rise of over 5,000% came after the New York-based pharmaceutical company Turing Pharmaceuticals acquired the patent for the drug from Impax Laboratories. (Editorial)

Original Source

The research and development costs of 68 randomly selected new drugs were obtained from a survey of 10 pharmaceutical firms. These data were used to estimate the average pre-tax cost of new drug development. The costs of compounds abandoned during testing were linked to the costs of compounds that obtained marketing approval. The estimated average out-of-pocket cost per new drug is US$ 403 million (2000 dollars). Capitalizing out-of-pocket costs to the point of marketing approval at a real discount rate of 11% yields a total pre-approval cost estimate of US$ 802 million (2000 dollars).

The question of software patent and its patentability was discussed in June, 2014 by the Supreme Court of the United States of America (USA) in the case of Alice Corporation v CLS Bank International. It has become necessary to view the issue of software patent in a new light as it is observed that there is greater ambivalence in the law and practice of granting patent to computer implemented inventions.

A new trade agreement being negotiated between 12 countries has come under fire from health campaigners who say it will push up drug prices and weaken health services.