New Delhi, Oct 13 (PTI) A petition was today filed in theDelhi High Court challenging the patent granted to USpharmaceutical company Pfizer for pneumococcal conjugatevaccine (PCV) used to protect infants, young children andadults from pneumoniae bacteria.
The plea came up for a brief hearing before Justice VibhuBakhru and a notice was issued on the petition.
The court listed the matter for November 21 seekingresponse of the Centre, the Controller General of Patents,Assistant Controller of Patents and the US firm.
The petition by a representative of Médecins SansFrontières (MSF) or Doctors Without Borders - a Paris-basedinternational humanitarian-aid organization - sought settingaside of an August 11 order of the Assistant Controller ofPatents and Designs granting patent for the vaccine.
The association, represented by senior advocate AnandGrover, said the decision was without application of mind,improper, illegal and contrary to the principles of law.
The plea, filed through advocate Rajeshwari, saidas pneumonia is the leading cause of childhood death, thevaccine is important for children in general and there is aneed for this vaccine to be available at an affordable price.
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This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.