The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) members welcome the passage of India's Patents Third Amendment Bill, 2005 recently. This legislation is a milestone for the Government of India, re-establishing patent protection for pharmaceutical products in India, they said in a release.

With the passage of this legislation, India has taken an important step toward complying with its obligations under the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS). However, America's research-based pharmaceutical industry does remain concerned about a number of late amendments to the bill that may bring India into conflict with its minimum international obligations, the release said.

"We recognize the importance of this historic vote and are pleased that India has taken the necessary legislative steps to provide patent protection for pharmaceutical products in Indian law. This is good for India, and good for Indian patients," said PhRMA president and CEO Billy Tauzin. "We are now measuring the impact on the overall bill of several last-minute amendments," he added.

When India joined the WTO in 1994, it agreed to implement patent protection for pharmaceutical products, among a range of patent protections included in the TRIPS Agreement, by January 1, 2005.

Patent protection for pharmaceutical products will provide India's scientists with incentives to discover and develop new life-saving drugs, the release added.

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) represents the country's leading pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies.