The impact of protection of the intellectual property rights on the pharmaceutical market in India

India is struggling not only against communicable diseases but also carries a large burden of non-communicable diseases. India is one of the 10 countries hosting 75% of the children who had not received vaccines for vaccine preventable diseases, like diphtheria, pertusis and tetanus. The diseases caused by Haemophilus, Pneumococcus and Rotaviruses, which are causing 2.1 million deaths in all age groups worldwide, have not even nudged the Indian government to provide access to the appropriate vaccines. For the pharmaceutical industry, R&D (research & development) on vaccines is not that profitable as the purchases are made by the government and moreover, the use is only for one time. There is a lack of vaccine coverage in the developing world and there is a growing need for developing new and better vaccines.