THE HINDU, May 01, 2007
Norwegian Minister of International Development Erik Solheim has urged Novartis to withdraw its case against India, challenging a clause of the Indian Patent (Amendment) Act, which does not grant patents to medicines that are new forms of an existing drug or “ever-greened” rather than innovations.
Last year, Doctors Without Borders (Mdecins Sans Frontires or MSF) had made a similar appeal to the Swiss company as its legal challenge could restrict access to affordable medicines in the developing world. HIV/AIDS advocacy groups and the pharma company’s shareholders have also called on the company to withdraw the case filed before the Madras High Court.