Medical Biotechnology Innovation in India: A Critical Analysis

This book examines the medical biotechnology industry in India through the lens of a critical political economy. It discusses the sharp trajectory of growth in the biotechnology business and the state of investments, subsidies, and patents which propelled the rise of the industry in India.

The book uses in-depth interviews and case studies to analyse the roles of various financial actors, state institutions, and academia in the medical biotechnology ecosystem. Focusing on the relationship between India’s neoliberal policies and the swift growth of the industry, the author examines the merits and demerits of the current market-driven biomedical ecosystem exploring the trends in the industry, biomedical start-ups, the use of human resources, and capital accumulation process. The book reiterates and emphasises the need for the democratisation of scientific and medical work and for striking a balance between economic gains and public health priorities.

Comprehensive and insightful, this book will be of interest to scholars and researchers of science technology society studies, public health, economics, business studies, medical sociology, public policy, and political science.

P. Omkar Nadh is currently a postdoctoral researcher at the Indian Institute for Human Settlements, Bengaluru. He has a PhD from the Institute for Social and Economic Change, Bengaluru, and is a recipient of the Indian Council for Social Science Research fellowship.