Commerce Ministry to discuss issues on non-tariff barriers in pharma industry with US and EU

Usha Sharma – Mumbai

In a move to promote Indian pharmaceutical industry, Anand Sharma, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, at a recently held meeting on Consultative Group on Exports of Pharmaceutical Products, discussed issues related to the non-tariff barriers imposed by the US and EU against Indian companies. The Government is going to discuss on non-tariff barriers with counterpart countries and ensure that the norms in TRIPS agreement are rightly followed and not bypassed.

The meeting was attended by the pharma industry associations, experts and top CEOs of pharma companies, viz, Ranbaxy, Wockhardt, Panacea Biotech, Vimta Labs, Suven Life Sciences, GVK Bio Resources, etc. Commerce Secretary; Secretary, Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP); Secretary, D/o Pharmaceutical; Additional Secretary, DOC; DCGI, JS, MEA, D/o Health and other senior officers were also present during the meeting.

Sharma recalled that it was the entry of Indian generic medicines in the global supply chain which started an ethical debate worldwide between generics versus patented drugs, and ultimately the right of every citizen to access affordable quality medicines were upheld. While time and again there have been attempts by multinational companies to malign Indian generics as substandard, counterfeit, the resilience of Indian industry has withstood all these challenges. The Government is fully committed to support this vibrant sector. The Minister also apprised that substantial opportunities exist for Indian pharma industry in emerging economies like Russia, Africa, South America. He assured the industry stalwarts that the Government will take up the issue of non-tariff barriers being mounted by the US and EU against Indian pharma industry in bilateral forums at appropriate levels.

Venkat Jasti, Chairman and CEO, Suven Life Sciences said, “The Government is trying to promote Indian pharma industry globally and continuous negotiation is going on. The Government wants to ensure that there will be no by pass in the TRIPS agreement as in the recent past, the industry faced many problems which were linked to this.”

Jasti continued that the Government has planned to conduct review progress meeting in another two months and before that pharma industry will form a sub committee, which will have members from pharma companies, pharma industry associations, industry experts etc. The industry will share its issues with this sub committee, which will then take up these issues with the Government.

The contribution of the Indian pharma industry in supplying affordable, quality generic medicines was lauded by the attendees in the meeting. SR Rao, Commerce Secretary, informed the gathering about the implementation of the Brand India Pharma campaign, which was launched in Japan in March 2012 to position India as the Pharmacy of the World and Brand Indian pharma products as affordable, quality medicines.

Industry stalwarts made a strong plea for timely approvals and procedural simplification by Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) for clinical trials, import of samples, etc. They also requested liberal funding through venture capital vehicle for giving an impetus to R&D and innovation to this knowledge-based industry. Industry stalwarts were of the opinion that given the right impetus and policy initiatives, and procedural simplification, the Indian pharma industry is capable of doubling the exports rather achieving a target of $50 billion in the next five years.

Sharma assured the industry that a Committee of Secretaries of the concerned department will be set up to consider the suggestions to take Indian pharma industry on a growth trajectory in a time bound manner.

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