Members Of Congress: India's Pharma Industry 'Protectionism' Is Harming US Pharma Industry's Abuse Of Patent System

Tim Cushing | Techdirt | July 2, 2013

from the towards-a-forceful-homogenization-of-worldwide-IP-law dept

We recently discussed the US Chamber of Commerce's incredibly strange statement on the state of India's IP protection (or lack thereof). The CofC first applauded the success of India's Bollywood industry, achieved without strong IP protection, before insisting the only way it would survive was by implementing strong IP protection. This, of course, was the CofC advancing its own agenda, despite being faced with evidence to the contrary.

It's the sort of doublespeak frequently deployed by IP-reliant industries in the US in their attempt to force the world to align their laws with ours. The argument always seems to be for more "protection," even if foreign industries are thriving without it.

In a Congressional letter sent to the administration by 170 "concerned" members of Congress, India's IP laws come under attack again. This time it's the pharmaceutical industry being defended from India's supposedly inadequate protections.