Legal ruling in India could end-up costing drug company - and U.S. patients - a lot of money!

With a brother, father and grandfather all involved with trademark and patent law, this article caught my eye.  Great news for Indian patients - bad news for Germans and Americans:

Bayer Loses Drug Ruling in India

Patent Agency Forces Drug Maker to Grant License to Local Generics Firm for Cancer Drug

BY GEETA ANAND AND RUMMAN AHMED

BANGALORE—Citing the high cost of one of the pharmaceutical industry's expensive new cancer drugs, India's patent authority on Monday forced Bayer AG to grant a compulsory license to a local generics manufacturer to ensure patients have access to the potentially lifesaving kidney and liver cancer medicine.

The landmark judgment represents the first time the Indian controller general of patents, designs and trademarks has granted a compulsory license to a generics drug maker. But it follows tough decisions in recent years by the office and Indian courts in rejecting patents on expensive cancer medicines, including Novartis SA's Glivec...

I don't have an online subscription to the Wall Street Journal, so I can't access more of the article.  But you get the idea...

Another example of how Americans will be paying much higher prices for a number of drugs than our Asian counterparts.

Frustrating - and expensive!  Feel good and keep smiling!  Pat