The Hindu : Herbal formulations cannot be patented: Valiathan

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 14, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Herbal formulations cannot be patented: Valiathan

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM March 13. The executive vice-president of the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology and Environment, M. S. Valiathan, has said that herbal formulations cannot be patented as such and that only drugs that are made from herbs qualify for patenting.

He said that he was not sure whether the herb `Aarogyapacha' had a patent or could be patented.

Dr. Valiathan was addressing a press conference here today to announce the launch of the third phase of the `Sastraposhini' programme for which 16 more schools in the State have been selected.

Replying to a question on possible violation of patent committed by a U.S. firm that was selling the formulation `Jeevani', Dr. Valiathan said that though legal opinion on the matter was not clear, he felt that a case could be fought only on grounds of trademark violation. "It is true that our pride has been hurt, that we feel angry, but on the practical side I am not sure that we can fight a case based on patent laws," he said. The Council will soon set up a School of Mathematics, with world-class facilities, in the State with a Central grant of Rs. 4.5 crores. The School would seek to do research work in Mathematics; an area of science where, Dr. Valiathan opined that adequate importance was not being given.

The renowned mathematician, M.S. Narasimhan, would be one of those who would be at the helm of affairs in the proposed school, which would, hopefully, be operational by 2005, he said.

The Council has identified 10 colleges/university departments in the State for giving grants for strengthening the infrastructure for science. The money would be mainly for buying equipment. The Council would give up to Rs. 10 lakh for two years to each of these 10 colleges. If the institution is able to secure a research grant from any body during those two years, the Council will give an additional Rs. 10-lakh grant during the third year, he said.

The Council has also refurbished its research fellowship programme and the Science Research Scheme, Dr. Valiathan said. The Council, in collaboration with a Swedish company, would be submitting a techno-economic plan for improving the State's inland waterway system. Sixty kilometres of canal has been identified as a demonstration-stretch. This project would be implemented by 2005. Work on growing and eventually exporting hybrid orchids is on in collaboration with a French company; the tissue culture would be done at the Tropical Botanic Gardens and Research Institute and at Munnar. In the next two years, standardisation of techniques would be achieved, he said.

The Sastraposhini programme has been widely welcomed by teachers, students and parents. In the third phase of the programme, model laboratories would be set up in 16 more schools in the State. In the next two academic years, all schools in the 36 educational districts in the State would have good laboratories for physics, chemistry and mathematics. The Council will hand over the Sastraposhini project to the Education Department for sustenance and replication, once the whole system and the required networking are put in place, Dr. Valiathan said.

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