Mumbai: The Government on Saturday said it will constitute a task force to look into the problems being faced by Indian pharmaceuticals industry.
The task force would look into all the policy-related, inter-ministerial and centre-state issues in the health sector, Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said after holding two separate meetings with representatives of the pharmaceuticals industry here.
Expressing happiness over assurances given by the pharma industry, he said the industry was interested in tapping various growth opportunities and isolated cases of sell off with an aim to invest in future research and development and new drug development.
Azad assured the industry that the government would extend all support to ensure growth of the pharma sector. He, however, asked the industry to ensure that the essential drugs reached the poorer sections of the society.
The minister said the government would look into drug price control related issues and also come up with a long-term policy for the industry.
Allying apprehensions of the industry, he said the ministry will issue necessary directions to the state and union territories so that the genuine manufactures were not harassed under various provisions of the Spurious Drugs Bill.
The Health Minister also said the Drug Technical Advisory Board (DTAB) will complete the process of examining the remaining 127 Fixed Dose Combinations (FDC) of the 294 FDCs soon.
He said the government would hold discussions with the industry to arrive at a decision so that the DTAB recommendations can be implemented after withdrawal of the court case by the pharma industry.
The meeting was attended among others by chiefs of
Cadila Healthcare, Wockhardt, Piramal Healthcare, Biocon,
Aurobindo Pharma, Torrent Group and Sun Pharma.
PTI
