Pharmaceutical Export Promotion Council of India (Pharmexcil) has decided to offer a certificate course on “Pharma IP (Intellectual property) in International Trade” at a five-day workshop from January 21-25, 2013 in Hyderabad.

Unlike its usual promotional activities of organising conferences, meetings, exhibitions, imparting the certificate course is first of its kind initiative taken up by the council. The new initiative of the council is being supported by Department of Commerce & Department of Pharmaceuticals.

The five day work shop is scheduled to be conducted at the venue of National Institute for Micro, Small, Medium Enterprises (NI-MSME). “The objective of the certificate course is to bring awareness, understand and strengthen intellectual property rights for the growth of industry. Eminent industry resource persons, leading patent attorneys, patent agents have accepted our invitation to be the resource persons for the workshop,” said Dr P V Appaji, DG, Pharmexcil.

The syllabus of the certificate course comprises of introduction to intellectual property rights, patentability criteria, basics of US and EU patent laws, Indian Patent Act, patent prior art search, patent infringement, pre-grant, post grant oppositions, patent revocations, court case analysis, specification draftings, etc.

The certificate course offered by Pharmexcil is particularly aimed at helping members of the council. However, non-members are also accepted. The course fee for SMEs is Rs. 20,000 and for others it is Rs. 25,000. For non members the charge for the five day workshop is set at Rs. 50,000. Interested members can utilize this opportunity on first cum fist serve basis as the course is designed to accommodate only a maximum 50 participants.