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0 pointsTuna-Fish5y ago0 comments

> How does this go together with the claim that "Remdesivir is patented by California-based Gilead"?

India does not recognize patents on medicine.

See, for example: India: Patents And The Indian Pharmaceutical Industry [1]

> With regard to pharmaceuticals, in the case of substances intended for use or capable of being used as food, drugs or medicines or substances produced by chemical processes, patents are granted only for the processes of manufacture of such substances and not for the substances themselves. Hence, pharmaceutical products are currently not granted patent protection under Indian law.

(And note that the "process of manufacture of such substances" is in practice interpreted so tightly that it covers very little.)

[1] https://www.mondaq.com/india/patent/865888/patents-and-the-i...

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belltaco5y ago

I think that law was changed in 2005 to allow product patents.

Tuna-FishOP5y ago

The law might have been changed, but the practice of the law has not. India still does not honor practically any foreign patents on medicine.

somurzakov5y ago

this practice helped so many people from low-income countries survive form life-threatening conditions by just importing drugs from India. A relative of mine from a very low income country got Hepatitis C treatment, thanks to India.

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