NEW DELHI: The National Medical Commission (NMC) has asked all medical colleges across the country to encourage faculty, doctors, researchers and students to patent healthcare innovations through a government-funded Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) initiative aimed at helping turn medical research into healthcare products and technologies.In an advisory issued on July 1, the NMC directed all medical colleges and institutions to widely disseminate information about ICMR’s Medical Innovations Patent Mitra initiative and encourage innovators to use the platform for patent filing and technology transfer. The initiative offers fully government-funded support to help researchers protect their intellectual property and translate research outcomes into healthcare products and technologies for public benefit.The Commission said the initiative aligns with its objective of promoting research, innovation and excellence in medical education, adding that wider participation by medical colleges would strengthen India’s healthcare innovation ecosystem.Besides patent filing, Patent Mitra also supports technology transfer, helping innovators move discoveries from laboratories to commercial development and public use. The NMC has asked colleges to actively publicise the initiative among faculty members, clinicians, researchers and students to encourage greater participation.The advisory said details of the initiative are available on the Patent Mitra portal and asked institutions to contact ICMR for assistance related to the programme.