ACCESS POLICY FOR IPR PROTECTION
OF TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE SOON
Dr.
JOSHI RELEASES CD-ROM ON TKDL
SUSHMA
SWARAJ TO PRESENT THE CD TO DG WIPO
An inter-ministerial committee is currently
engaged in formulating "Access Policy" for the protection
of intellectual property rights concerning traditional knowledge.
Now that the first phase of the traditional knowledge digitalisation
concerning Ayurveda is over, it is high time that the policy is
readied quickly and implemented. This was disclosed by the Minister
for Human Resource Development and Science & Technology, Dr.
Murli Manohar Joshi, while releasing a CD-ROM on Traditional Knowledge
Digital Library (TKDL), relating to Ayurveda, here today.
Dr. Joshi said that
efforts are also being made to link the traditional knowledge
resource classification developed by India with the International
Patent Classification (IPC). The IPC has recognised the Indian
classification as very novel and more authentic for patent protection
and a Task Force has recommended the integration of the two systems.
The integration will have a significant impact on the examination
and grant of patents in the area of traditional knowledge, reducing
the possibilities of grant of any wrong TK patent, he said. The
data-base will be made available to patent examiners globally
under a non-disclosure agreement and would be put on the web with
secured access. Dr. Joshi pointed out that while fighting for
Basmati and Turmeric patents, India had to spend millions of dollars
to get it back. Now with TKDL, it will be an easy task with no
costs involved. The Minister also said that such classification
would be taken up in other areas as well including folk-lore,
art etc.
The Minister for
Health and Family Welfare, Smt. Sushma Swaraj said that she will
be presenting a copy of the CD-ROM to Director General of the
World Intellectual Property Organisation, during her impending
visit to Geneva. She said India has a vast reservoir of traditional
knowledge hidden in her ancient texts and manuscripts. These will
have to be brought out for the good of the humanity as a whole.
She said that the National Institute of Science Communication
and Information Resources (NISCAIR)of the CSIR has done a yeoman’s
job for the Indian systems of Medicine and Homeopathy (ISM&H)which
is striving to popularise traditional medicines for holistic health
care.
The director of NISCAIR,
Shri V.K. Gupta, whose brain-child, the TKDL, has 36,000 formulations
transcribed in patent application format. The information is being
made available in digital form in five international languages
i.e. English, French, Spanish, German and Japanese. Such work
has also been initiated i.e. TKDL on Unani, Siddha and Yoga, Shri
Gupta said.
