Piyush Goyal Takes Critical Stance against Evergreening of Patients

In the World Health Summit (WHS) Regional Meeting Asia 2025, Piyush Goyal, Minister of Commerce & Industry criticized pharmaceutical companies for making their patent evergreen. The summit was held in Delhi’s Bharat Mandapam. The minister took this opportunity to highlight the development and plans designed for the country.

The move from giant pharmaceutical companies to make their patent evergreen, by committing a few minor changes in their innovations was criticized by the Minister, as he highlighted that such actions can put millions of people's lives at the disadvantage by making due to unaffordability of affordable medicine. This was essentially done because such acts can only bring profits to organizations and their shareholders, by putting the world at risk.

Previously, multinational pharmaceutical firms have urged India to amend their laws. This was met with strong opposition by the Indian law. The reason for this opposition was that such acts could affect the quality of healthcare directly. The crucial part of sustainable development is to have greater healthcare access for all. Evergreen petition can directly affect the affordability option of many, by creating a lack of healthcare.

Piyush Goshal remembered the time of COVID-19 and how India believed in the concept of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’. He appreciated the generosity of India, which supplied medicine without implying export control over them. Making sure that all had access to the medicine. Goyal also highlighted that there are more than 620 million people who can get access to healthcare because of the Ayushman Bharat Scheme.