Regulation of brands in the Indian pharmaceutical industry in the 1960s: Examination of the Tariff Commission Report, 1968

Abstract

The literature on the Indian pharmaceutical industry has examined the importance of product patents and the attempts policy has made to regulate them. However, it has not done the same for the question of brands. Our study addresses this gap. The Tariff Commission Report of 1968, a turning point in the price control policies of the 1960s, is examined. The examination revealed two important points: first, there were attempts to regulate brands through policies; and second, brands were of high importance to all the major industry players. This became evident in the industry's resistance to the government's regulatory efforts.