Independent journalist and contributor, Down To Earth. Her concerns relate to the way power structures in society - business corporations, governments and lobbies - impact the lives of the powerless.
India’s unhealthy patent amendments
Despite strong pleas, the Modi regime has changed the rules to impose a cost on those who challenge faulty patents
The pill that’s roiling US drug regulation
The hard right is challenging FDA’s authority to regulate drugs with its lawsuit to ban America’s most used abortion pill
Suspect claims in Teva’s suit against Cipla
The US Federal Trade Commission has warned the Israeli drug firm its patents are wrongful as it sues Cipla aggressively
Grab the pathogens, but don’t share the drugs
Developing countries led by the African bloc fight for access to vaccine and therapy at WHO talks on pandemic policy
Follow the Chinese way on high tech
Making universities the hub of innovation and churning out scientists adept in frontier technology has put China at the top
Making jugaad a global success
Frugal innovation is the new concept that companies are adopting to take technology to developing countries
Copyright legacy of the great
Mahatma Gandhi’s works have been available freely thanks to his copyright philosophy, but not those of Martin Luther King Jr
Narkya—and the plunder of biodiversity
Dilution of biological conservation rules and lax enforcement of forest laws are giving free rein to the drug industry and trade
The squalid history of medical patents
Bringing medicines into the global intellectual property regime was a triumph of corporate skulduggery led by Pfizer
Patents zoom, but where is the innovation?
India is among the top patent filers globally, but it has yet to make its mark in any breakthrough technologies
Pharma is getting high on marijuana
As drug companies develop cannabis-based medicines for serious illnesses, generic firms are trying to get into the act
Devastating societies through war and drugs
Generics giant Teva is top among drug firms found guilty of fuelling the US opioid crisis, agrees to pay $4.25 billion
COVID-19 vaccines: African countries get very few doses at very high prices
Guinea, one of the lowest-income countries, has received just 25 doses
The Maasai are protecting their intellectual property rights, what of others like India's Warlis?
A Nelson's eye on digital biopiracy
Biodiversity meet puts off decision on benefit-sharing from digital gene sequences
Mein Kampf struggles free
Hitler's autobiographical manifesto of his National Socialism has come out of copyright
Modi sedates the farmer
The BJP is repackaging old schemes and offering cosmetic changes to the agrarian policy
Bitter ABS medicine for AYUSH
Manufacturers cry foul as they receive notices from state boards to pay royalty
Taking labour out of the picture
Modi's focus on clearing impediments for industry leaves the worker out in the cold
ICAR chases patents for pickle
The National Research Centre on Meat has odd ideas on what can be patented
The curious case of Ebola patents
The US government appears to have a cure and (almost) a vaccine for the deadly disease
Jugaad of Indian innovation
Patting ourselves for our ability to arrive at makeshift solutions will not take us far
It’s pouring money and schemes in agriculture
No dearth of funds for agri credit and new institutions
Drained royally by MNCs
Royalty payments to firms like Suzuki and Monsanto are sucking out huge sums from India
Left sees red over Marx copyright
A small publisher of Collected Works has run afoul of Marxists by asserting copyright