Global pharma companies are reluctant to introduce the latest cancer drugs because they fear patent infringement allegations from India. The stalling of clinical trials since January 2013 has also made access to advanced cancer drugs impossible in the country, said Dr. BS Ajaikumar, chairman, Healthcare Global Enterprises (HCG) which is India’s largest network chain of 27 dedicated cancer care centres in the country.

The hostile response from global pharma majors to boycott new cancer medicines into India ensues Novartis’ Gleevac drug which lost its patent protection here.  This has turned painful for the scores of cancer patients in the country as they do not have access to the advanced targeted therapies. In this regard, HCG has made a representation to the new government and its health minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan to take a look into the issue and provide remedial measures at the earliest.

It was at the conference of the Association of Surgical Oncologists in the US where global drug majors told the HCG chief that India was no longer on their radar for new cancer drugs. They were wary of the Union government as it did not comprehend innovation nor valued the intellectual property rights but were more keen to protect its generic drug manufacturers. Unless there is a relook by the government, only then India would be reconsidered, said Dr. Ajai during an interaction with the media.

http://www.pharmabiz.com/NewsDetails.aspx?aid=82842&sid=2

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