Traditional Knowledge Database Library(TKDL), Ancient knowledge hub, faces grim future.
ABOUT TKDL :
(i) The Traditional Knowledge Database Library (TKDL) is an umbrella organisation of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research that has fought biopiracy for decades.
(ii) TKDL is an online repository of about 300,000 formulations from Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani systems.
(iii) Over two decades, the body translated, scanned and digitised texts from their Sanskrit, Arabic and Urdu originals.
(iv) This was then made searchable, allowing patent offices in India, Europe, United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Japan to check if patent applicants of herbal concoctions, creams and drugs were basing their claims on available traditional knowledge.
(ii) TKDL is an online repository of about 300,000 formulations from Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani systems.
(iii) Over two decades, the body translated, scanned and digitised texts from their Sanskrit, Arabic and Urdu originals.
(iv) This was then made searchable, allowing patent offices in India, Europe, United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and Japan to check if patent applicants of herbal concoctions, creams and drugs were basing their claims on available traditional knowledge.
SIGNIFICANCE :
(a) Between 2009 and 2015, 219 patents were denied to Indian and foreign companies based on TKDL’s challenges, including Unilever, Colgate-Palmolive, Avesthagen, the government’s Central Council For Research in Unani Medicine, and Yale University in the U.S.
(b) The organisation was seen in pharmaceutical circles as a patent blocker and over the years, it made it hard for companies to acquire patents.
(b) The organisation was seen in pharmaceutical circles as a patent blocker and over the years, it made it hard for companies to acquire patents.
THREAT ON EXISTENCE :
The organisation will cease to exist in its current form as it has no committed funds, most of its workforce has been removed and these staffers are litigating against CSIR.
TKDL's FUTURE :
1. According to officials of CSIR denied reports that TKDL was dying.
2. They termed that TKDL would be aligned with India’s National Intellectual Property Rights Policy cleared by the Centre.
3. This would allow public research institutions and private players to use TKDL for research and development purposes.
2. They termed that TKDL would be aligned with India’s National Intellectual Property Rights Policy cleared by the Centre.
3. This would allow public research institutions and private players to use TKDL for research and development purposes.
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