The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Anantapur News : Ordinance amending Patent Act criticised

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 28, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Anantapur

Ordinance amending Patent Act criticised

By Our Staff Reporter

ANANTAPUR, DEC. 27. The district unit of the Andhra Pradesh Medical and Sales Representatives' Union on Monday condemned the UPA Government's promulgation of an ordinance amending the Patent Act, 1970, stating that it would have a highly adverse impact on the health sector of the country.

The members of APMSRU took out a procession in protest against the Centre's decision and conducted a meeting at the Tower Clock. They also burnt an effigy of the UPA Government there as mark of their protest.

The district secretary of the union, Sridhar Reddy, alleged that the Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre had promulgated an ordinance recently amending the Patent Act, 1970, without even a discussion in the Parliament.

The amendments to the act would enable the multinational pharmaceutical companies gain upper hand in the Indian market and make the medicines very dear, he explained.

Demanding the Government to stop amendments to the existing act he said the present act had helped the pharmaceutical industry grow in the country. The industry was in a position to supply medicines to other countries now. But, the amendments to the act would facilitate the foreign companies rule the roost here.

As a result, the Government would not be in a position to

provide the health services to the poor. Most of the medicines would go out of reach of the poor due to indiscriminate hike in their prices, he cautioned.

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