Pharmaceuticals

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Designer Babies in India: Ethical Dilemma and Legal Roadblocks

Introduction

Imagine walking into a fertility clinic and choosing every detail of your future baby, including eye colour, height, intelligence, athletic ability, and even resistance to genetic diseases. Advancements in reproductive technology are pushing the boundaries of what is possible. In the United States, the demand for sperm and egg selection is soaring, with individuals spending thousands of dollars to “curate” their ideal baby. However, it is important to note that experts in the United States currently do not support the practice of creating designer babies through gene editing. Continue Reading Designer Babies in India: Ethical Dilemma and Legal Roadblocks

CRISPR, The New Gold Standard? Understanding The Rise Of Genetic Enigineering In India – Part 1

Introduction

Advancements in science and technology have made gene-editing and the creation of genetically modified organisms (“GMOs”) a reality. It is now possible to alter and modify the genetic makeup of living organisms, leading to breakthroughs in agriculture and medicine. Such technologies and practices are being widely adopted across the world, including India, where gene editing is being explored primarily in agriculture to develop climate-resistant crops such as BT Cotton, BT Brinjal, GM-Mustard, etc. The global genome editing market, valued at $3.41 billion in 2024, is projected to reach $4.25 billion in 2025 and $13.36 billion by 2035, representing a CAGR of 12.1% during the forecast period[1].Continue Reading CRISPR, The New Gold Standard? Understanding The Rise Of Genetic Engineering In India – Part 1

Introduction

In this age of fast-paced routines riddled with stress and anxiety, the increasing and much-needed focus on health and lifestyle has led to the greater consumption of immunity-boosting and lifestyle-enhancing health products. These products are easily accessible and are not medicines or drugs that come with their fair share of risks, fueling a rising attraction towards nutraceutical products. Continue Reading Cure or Supplement – Overlap Between Drugs and Nutraceuticals

Prescription for Deception – An Analysis of Pharmaceutical Advertising in India

Introduction

Pharmaceutical advertisements hold significant power in shaping public perception of drugs, their efficacies and treatment options. In India, where healthcare access and awareness are often limited, misleading advertisements can have serious consequences. These ads have the potential to mislead customers and even endanger lives by exaggerating benefits or downplaying risks. Misleading advertisements, then, can simply be understood as uncorroborated, unsubstantiated, and often false claims made by pharmaceutical companies about their drugs – the lofty claims made by companies advertising their “COVID curing”[1] drugs to claims regarding “miracle drugs” that can battle life threatening diseases, are all case in point when one refers to misleading advertisements.Continue Reading Prescription for Deception – An Analysis of Pharmaceutical Advertising in India

Mind Your Meds and Metrics: Navigating the Indian Health Data Protection Labyrinth

Introduction

India’s private healthcare entities are increasingly participating in government initiatives, in a sector historically dominated by private players. This synergy is evident in public-private partnerships like the Ayushman Bharat National Health Protection Mission and the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana. The aim of the programmes is to expand healthcare access and affordability, reflecting a significant policy shift towards inclusive health coverage.Continue Reading Mind Your Meds and Metrics: Navigating the Indian Health Data Protection Labyrinth

Ayurvedic Medicine in Contemporary Times: Part 2 – Spicing Up Food Products

Part 1  of our Ayurvedic Medicine in Contemporary Times series discussed the regulations and clinical evaluations governing Ayurvedic drugs and proprietary Ayurvedic medicines. The recent global resurgence of Ayurveda and a renewed interest in nutraceuticals and supplements derived from natural sources has led to an increased demand for biological resources. While this trend does lay emphasis on sustainable farming practices and effective resource management, not every natural product qualifies as an Ayurvedic product despite natural biological resources, such as plants, animal extracts, and minerals, being the primary building blocks of these Ayurvedic single-ingredient drugs or compound formulations.Continue Reading Ayurvedic Medicine in Contemporary Times: Part 2 – Spicing Up Food Products

DB of DHC sets the contours of Pre-grant opponent in an examination process

In a recent case[1], Novartis AG[2] v. Natco Pharma Ltd.[3], the Division Bench (DB) of the Delhi High Court (DHC) adjudicated on the extent of engagement a pre-grant opponent should be allowed under the Patents Act, 1970, in the course of proceedings initiated by the Controller, requiring the patent applicant to amend or modify the patent application.Continue Reading DB of DHC sets the contours of Pre-grant opponent in an examination process

Pharmaceutical and Healthcare

Since the inception of the ‘world wide web’, no other technology in the digital space has caught the attention of the world quite like ‘blockchain’. It has the potential to be a gamechanger with its promise of unmatched data security. Even though the implementation/ application of blockchain’s much-coveted underlying technology into various other industries has been a very recent phenomenon, the learned are already prophesising about  its ability  to shepherd us into a completely new way of network interactions and data storage. This future reality has been nick-named  ‘Web3’.Continue Reading Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Industry: A Case for Regulation Through Blockchain

Cabinet Approves Major Changes in FDI Policy

On January 10, 2018, the Indian Cabinet gave its approval to a number of major amendments to the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Policy of India, to further liberalise and simplify the same. This is to increase the ease of doing business in the country, and continue to attract much needed foreign capital to fuel India’s growth. In this post, we examine the latest amendments and their impact on the crucial sectors involved therein.

Key Reforms

Single Brand Retail Trading (SBRT)

The latest amendment has brought sweeping changes in FDI norms for SBRT, thereby enticing significant foreign brands into India’s promising retail space.

The current FDI Policy on SBRT allows 49% FDI under the automatic route, and FDI beyond that and up to 100% through the Government approval route. Earlier, a sourcing norm was also attached to such an investment. This meant that investors were required to source 30% of the value of goods purchased for their Indian businesses through local sources. Several investors have had to spend a significant amount of time developing good local suppliers as partners and their inability to procure locally proved a major stumbling block in setting up their business in India.Continue Reading Cabinet Approves Major Changes in FDI Policy