National and international NGOs demand public debate on patent bill
AIDS and cancer treatment advocates from Asia, Africa and Latin America unanimously voiced their protest against the move of the Indian Parliament to pass the Patent (Amendment) Bill, which intends to shut down generic production of new drugs in the country.

Millipore CEO visits India
Martin Madaus, the new CEO & President of Millipore Corporation, the Massachusetts based multinational bioscience company visited the Bangalore HQs of Millipore India recently.

DGFT picks Pharmexcil as sole agency for issue of RCMC to pharma exporters
The issuance of Public Notice No. 61 dt. 16.03.05 by the DGFT, New Delhi, categorically designating Pharmexcil as the sole agency for issue of Registration- cum-Membership Certificate (RCMC) to the exporters of drugs and pharmaceuticals would end the situation of overlapping functions by several similar bodies, according to a press release.

IPA Mah holds lecture on pharma management
The Maharashtra State Branch of the Indian Pharmaceutical Association (IPA) recently organised a lecture on ‘‘Pharmaceutical Uncertainty Manag-ement: Achieving the goal of time to market and productivity improvement.’’

Changes in service tax laws are adverse to allied industry
According to recent amendments, service tax is levied on services provided as well as on services that will be provided in future. This is quiet unconstitutional and needs to amended since how can a service tax be levied on services yet to be provided.

Victorious Left’s okay sees passage of Patents Bill
Declaring the incorporation of 10 out of their 12 demands in the Patent (Amendment) Bill as a “major achievement”, the Left parties’ accession to the controversial Bill saw the Bill being passed in the Lok Sabha.