The Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad, has constituted a task force to evolve a long-term strategy for addressing various issues faced by the Indian pharma industry including preventing takeover of Indian pharma industry by MNCs, drug pricing and promotion of generic drugs. The 12-member task force will be Chaired by Secretary Health Research and co-chaired by Directorate General of Health Services. The task force has been asked to submit its report within three months.

The panel has been given a six-point agenda including evolving a policy to make India a hub for drug discovery, evolving strategies to further the interests of the Indian pharma industry in the light of issues related to Intellectual Property Rights and recommend strategies to capitalise on the opportunity of $60-80 billion worth drugs going off patent over the next five years, policy measures to assure National Drugs Security by promoting indigenous production of bulk drugs and measures to tackle the problem of spurious drugs – use of anti-counterfeit technologies.

The task force will have members drawn from the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority, the Department of Industry Policy and Promotion, the Indian Drug Manufacturers Association, the Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance, Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producers of India, the Federation of Pharmaceutical Entrepreneurs, Confederation of Indian Pharmaceutical Industry, Bulk Drug Manufacturers' Association, SME Pharma Industry Confederation, and Drug Controller General of India as the Member Secretary. In addition, the Chairman of the task force may also co-opt any other expert in the relevant area as is considered necessary.

tkt@thehindu.co.in

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