The patent amendments passed by the Parliament have made a deep impact on the health care industry and patients.

The Indian patent act 1970 amended on March 22, 2005 has marked the end of a protected era and signals a new phase in the integration of India into the global pharmaceutical market. The new amendment has made copying of Post-1995 patented drugs illegal. Indian drugs are exported to more than 65 countries and the product patent regime will have a big effect on the Indian Pharmaceutical Industry (IPI)

In India, 97 per cent of drugs are off patent and are manufactured by a vast number of companies. The key therapeutic segments include anti-infectives, cardio vascular and central nervous system drugs. Anti-infectives comprise the largest therapeutic segment in India. They account for nearly 26 per cent of the market. The government patent offices are under pressure for the first time in several years to streamline the entire process. But transition to a new regime will not be smooth.