The pharmaceutical industry associations are somewhat reluctant to support the move of the government to bring the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) and the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) under the Union ministry of health.
According to industry captains and company heads, shifting the two departments from the ministry of chemicals and fertilizers to the health ministry will not do anything positive for the progress of the Indian pharmaceutical industry, rather it will complicate the ease of doing business instead of improving it.
Commenting on the move, though not opposed, the immediate past president of the Indian Drugs Manufacturers Association (IDMA), S V Veerramani said that only a separate ministry of pharmaceuticals can do something progressive for the pharma industry in the country, especially for the struggling units in the MSME sector. “We have all along been demanding for a separate Ministry of Pharmaceuticals (MoP) considering the current status of the Indian pharma industry in the world, and the potential for the future when compared to other industrial sectors”, he spoke to Pharmabiz.
According to IDMA, the health ministry is concerned about the regulations in the pharmaceutical industry and there are now frequent changes in regulations, labeling rules, etc. NPPA is also sending frequent notifications on prices. While regulations are required, frequent changes in regulations are affecting the rhythm and stability of the pharma industry, and they are acting as deterrents to progress.
Veerramani fears that by bringing together these two bodies under one roof is likely to make the regulations more stringent and the pharmaceutical industry will become more of a regulated industry than a progressive industry. Besides, the health ministry may not give much priority for the growth and development of Indian pharma sector. So formation of a separate ministry for pharmaceuticals is a better rather than severing two departments from the chemicals ministry.
Whereas, J Jayaseelan, chairman of TN IDMA said if the government has any sincere plan on its side to uplift the pharma sector it should be brought under a separate ministry. If one ministry is formed for pharma, it can handle the problems in the pharmaceutical sector. To nurture and support the small and medium companies, it is essential to have a separate ministry rather than combining a few more departments under health ministry.
Meanwhile the Bihar Drugs & Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (BDPMA) has welcomed the decision of the government. Sanjiv Rai, president of BDPMA has commented that government should have taken this decision much earlier as the chemicals and fertilizers ministry is itself a big department and it may not have enough time to look into the issues related to pharmaceutical industry.
“Once the pharmaceutical industry comes under health ministry, he feels, it will be easier for the industry to put their issues for prompt address. The drugs regulatory department of states like Bihar may be in a position to draw attention on various issues related to their states’ drug manufacturing units and other issues for prompt uplifting”, Rai said.
The president of Kerala Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (KPMA), K P Purshothaman Namputhiri said the government should have brought these two departments under the health ministry very earlier though it will not do much good for the industry sector. “We hope that this move of the government will make NPPA understand the difficulties faced by the Industry due to the unscientific and unhealthy price control measures that were clamped on the industry during the last two/ three years”, he added.
While hailing the decision of the government, the former director general of the Pharmaceutical Export Promotion Council (Pharmexcil), Dr. PV Appaji, said the move of the government to bring NPPA and DoP under the health ministry is a delayed decision, but it should have been taken very earlier. He said the decision would be the best thing to happen.
From the traders’ side, the general secretary of the All India Chemists and Distributors’ Federation (AICDF), Joydeep Sarkar, said this is a brave decision of the government to integrate NPPA and DoP under the health ministry. According to him, once these two bodies are brought under health ministry, the entire process shall become easier to deal in. Now, he said, one complaint is lodged with the drugs control department with regard to price control, the drugs regulators do not interfere even though there are provisions for it. But, when this amalgamation comes, the drugs control bodies will interfere. He said AICDF is welcoming the decision of the government.