Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda launched the Indian Council of Medical Research’s (ICMR) flagship initiative ‘Medical Innovations Patent Mitra’ to enhance India’s healthcare innovation ecosystem.

The initiative was launched at the International Symposium on Health Technology Assessment (ISHTA).

Highlights of Medical Innovations Patent Mitra:

• The initiative aims at providing end-to-end guidance and handholding support to innovators for patent filings and technology transfer of medical innovations to industry.

• This programme, developed under the guidance of NITI Aayog and in partnership with the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP), is supported by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT).

• This platform will ensure that the ground breaking work done by our scientists and researchers is protected through patents and made available to the public through seamless technology transfer. 

• ICMR highlighted that the initiative will bridge a crucial gap in the patenting process for medical innovations, providing expert assistance at every stage — from patentability assessments to filing, prosecution, and maintenance of patents. 

• The Medical Innovation Patent Mitra along with the support of Medtech Mitra, will play a critical role in strengthening the medical innovation ecosystem of the country. 

• The Medical Innovations Patent Mitra will support ICMR Institutes, ICMR extramural grantees as well as medical colleges and institutes.

• It offers a comprehensive range of services, including patentability assessment, patent filing in India, and assistance with patent prosecution.

What is intellectual property?

The intellectual property (IP) can be described as novel or previously undescribed tangible output of any intangible intellectual activity. IP typically has an owner, can be bought, sold or licensed and must be adequately protected for exploitation. IP can include (patentable) inventions, industrial processes, software, data, written work, designs, images etc.

What is a patent?

• A patent is an exclusive right granted for an invention, which is a product or a process that provides, in general, a new way of doing something, or offers a new technical solution to a problem. 

• It gives one the exclusive rights and bars others from making, using, selling and importing product or process, based on the patented invention without one’s prior permission.

• To get a patent, technical information about the invention must be disclosed to the public in a patent application.

Critical gaps in intellectual property rights ecosystem

Despite various efforts to improve India’s IP landscape, there remain significant challenges that limit the potential for innovation and intellectual property development. 

These gaps include:

• Lack of awareness: Many potential inventors, entrepreneurs and academic institutions remain unaware of the value and process of obtaining patents or protecting other forms of intellectual property.

• Quality of filings: Inadequate support in preparing and filing well-prepared patent applications leads to a lower success rate, both nationally and internationally.

• Maintenance of patents: Lack of proper management and maintenance of existing patents and IP portfolios leads to expiration or underutilisation of valuable assets. 

• Commercialisation: Even when patents are granted, they often remain underutilised, failing to reach their potential for commercialisation or monetisation.

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