Doctors can form start-ups, new ICMR policy unveiled

New Delhi, February 24

Doctors and medical professionals will now be able to pursue entrepreneurial ventures by forming start-up companies and taking up adjunct position such as a non-executive director or scientific adviser in companies.

The Indian Council of Medical Research/Department of Health Research today unveiled a new policy on Biomedical Innovation and Entrepreneurship for medical professionals, scientists and technologists at medical, dental, paramedical institutes/colleges to permit doctors to undertake inter-institutional and industry projects alone or through companies, licence technologies to business entities leading to commercialisation, revenue generation for self-sustenance and societal benefit.

The medical professionals will also be permitted to take up sabbatical for translational and commercialisation of their innovation through their start-up company set up following the institute’s permission.

Balram Bhargava, ICMR chief, today said the new policy would promote interdisciplinary collaboration, innovation, technology development, skill development and foster entrepreneurship development and make-in-India product development for societal benefit.

Formulated in consultation with a range of government institutions, including AIIMS and IIT, Delhi, the policy is an attempt to enable medical institutions to actively support their personnel to contribute in innovation and entrepreneurship associated activities.

The government data shows that medical colleges and institutions are lagging far behind on the research front in India.

Where top 20 engineering institutes of India command an 85 per cent presence in the intellectual property sector, top 20 medical colleges command just 15 per cent with a huge gap to be bridged.

Likewise, between 2000 and 2020, where top 10 engineering institutions filed 95 per cent patent of all patents, top 10 medical colleges filed just the remaining 5 per cent.

Bharagava, who is also Secretary, health research, said the policy was a game-changer.

“It will enable medical institutions to actively support their personnel in contributing towards innovation and entrepreneurial ventures with the ultimate goal of positively impacting human health and well-being. It resonates with the motto of ‘Innovate, Patent, Produce and Prosper’ and will bring about a paradigm shift in the innovation and entrepreneurship culture in the country with a far-reaching impact on all medical colleges and institutes,” he added.

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya released the policy today.

Box: Can take up sabbatical for innovation

Medical professionals will be permitted to take up sabbatical for translational and commercialisation of their innovation through their start-up company set up following the institute’s permission

Balram Bhargava, ICMR chief, says the new policy will promote interdisciplinary collaboration, innovation, technology development, skill development and foster entrepreneurship development and make-in-India product development for societal benefit

The policy is an attempt to enable medical institutions to actively support their personnel to contribute in innovation and entrepreneurship associated activities