Indian parliament passes patents bill amid criticism by health activists

0 Comments | AFP, March, 2005

NEW DELHI (AFP) — India's upper house of parliament passed a controversial patents law despite criticism from health activists and opposition members that the legislation would prohibit the manufacture of low-cost generics drugs.

Drug firms disputed the claims that millions of HIV-AIDS and cancer sufferers are threatened by the bill.

The Patent (Amendment) Bill was passed by the 250-member upper house of parliament Wednesday evening while the 545-member lower house approved it Tuesday although the opposition staged a walkout in both the houses.

Parliamentary approval paves the way for the patents bill, which prohibits domestic firms from copying low-cost generic versions of patented drugs, to become law.

"Because India is one of the world's biggest...