How is the Government of India protecting traditional knowledge of medicine from patenting by pharmaceutical companies?
The Government of India has adopted a proactive and pioneering strategy to protect its vast heritage of traditional medical knowledge from being wrongfully patented by global pharmaceutical companies, an act often termed 'biopiracy'.
The centerpiece of this strategy is the Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL). This is a monumental database, created jointly by the CSIR and the Ministry of Ayush, which digitizes and catalogues knowledge from ancient Indian texts on Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, and Yoga. This information, which was previously accessible only to local language experts, has been translated into five international languages and formatted in a way that is easily searchable by international patent examiners.
The TKDL is a defensive protection mechanism. It does not patent traditional knowledge but acts as 'prior art'. Before granting a patent, examiners at major patent offices worldwide (like in Europe, the USA, and Japan) can consult the TKDL database. If a company applies for a patent on a formulation, such as one using turmeric for wound healing, the examiner can see that this is already documented knowledge and reject the application. This has successfully prevented hundreds of erroneous patents from being granted.
Besides the TKDL, India’s legal framework, particularly the Patents Act and the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, contains provisions to prevent biopiracy. The Biodiversity Act mandates benefit-sharing agreements if biological resources are accessed, ensuring that local communities profit from the commercial use of their knowledge.
Answered By:
Harsh Raj
Harsh Raj is a successful government exam expert, having cleared multiple stages of SSC CGL, IBPS PO, CDS, RRB NTPC, and Delhi Police SI exams himself and mentored more than 5000 students through direct mentorship. His expertise is in creating well researched content, especially MCQs, which have been directly asked by relevant commissions in multiple exams.
Similar Questions
Examine the pattern and trend of public expenditure on social services in the post-reforms period in India. To what extent this has been in consonance with achieving the objective of inclusive growth?
What are the causes of persistent high food inflation in India? Comment on the effectiveness of the monetary policy of the RBI to control this type of inflation.
Explain the role of millets for ensuring health and nutritional security in India.
What is the present world scenario of intellectual property rights with respect to life materials? Although, India is second in the world to file patents, still only a few have been commercialized. Explain the reasons behind this less commercialization.
What were the factors responsible for the successful implementation of land reforms in some parts of the country? Elaborate.
What is the technology being employed for electronic toll collection on highways? What are its advantages and limitations? What are the proposed changes that will make this process seamless? Would this transition carry any potential hazards?
Industrial pollution of river water is a significant environmental issue in India. Discuss the various mitigation measures to deal with this problem and also the government's initiatives in this regard.
Explain how narco-terrorism has emerged as a serious threat across the country. Suggest suitable measures to counter narco-terrorism.
What role do environmental NGOs and activists play in influencing Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) outcomes for major projects in India? Cite four examples with all important details.
What is the need for expanding the regional air connectivity in India? In this context, discuss the government's UDAN Scheme and its achievements.
Important Questions from GS3
Examine the pattern and trend of public expenditure on social services in the post-reforms period in India. To what extent this has been in consonance with achieving the objective of inclusive growth?
What are the causes of persistent high food inflation in India? Comment on the effectiveness of the monetary policy of the RBI to control this type of inflation.
Explain the role of millets for ensuring health and nutritional security in India.
What is the present world scenario of intellectual property rights with respect to life materials? Although, India is second in the world to file patents, still only a few have been commercialized. Explain the reasons behind this less commercialization.
What were the factors responsible for the successful implementation of land reforms in some parts of the country? Elaborate.
