At Chronicle Pharmabiz, a composite Editorial Team spread out at key centres nationwide brings you extensive reportage of the pharmaceutical industry each week.

As we celebrate the 11th Anniversary of our publication, we look at some of the exclusive stories we did this year


Health Min bans Nimesulide suspension, Cisapride, PPA & human placenta extracts
Ramesh Shankar, Mumbai

Ending several weeks of confusion and stalemate over the issue due to the political interference, the union health ministry has eventually banned four of the most controversial drugs - the non-steroid anti-inflammatory drug nimesulide suspension, gastroprokinetic agent Cisapride, decongestant drug Phenylpropanolamine (PPA) and human placenta extracts - in the country with immediate effect.  

Health Min asks BCG Lab to hold renovation work as per WHO-GMP norms
Peethaambaran, Chennai

The Union health ministry has asked the director of BCG Lab in Chennai to withhold the decision of purchasing equipment and other items for the renovation of manufacturing facility as per WHO-GMP norms, until a final decision about the fate of the unit is taken by the ministry, it is learnt.


13 women die after taking contaminated IV fluids in Rajasthan
Joseph Alexander, New Delhi

The Union heath ministry has asked for a report from Rajasthan government over the deaths of women following administration of contaminated intravenous fluid at Jodhpur hospitals in the last two weeks, it is learnt.  


Govt sets up National Apex Committee for stem cell research
Ramesh Shankar, Mumbai

The union health ministry has constituted the much awaited National Apex Committee for Stem Cell Research and Therapy (NAC-SCRT) for effectively reviewing and monitoring the stem cell research in the country.


IAF to challenge legality of THMPD in UK court
Suja Nair, Mumbai

With an intend to show displeasure over the ban of all ayurvedic products in the European Union through the Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products Directive (THMPD), the IAF will soon initiate legal proceedings under Article 234 EC in the Courts of the UK challenging the legality of the THMPD.                                  


DoP issues Uniform Code of Pharmaceuticals Marketing Practices
Ramesh Shankar, Mumbai  

Aiming to arrest the unethical marketing practice of bribing doctors by the pharma companies for prescribing their drugs, the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) has issued a Uniform Code of Pharmaceuticals Marketing Practices (UCPMP).


GSK deposits `71 cr into DPEA for overcharging betamethasone
Joseph Alexander, New Delhi

Glaxo India has deposited Rs. 71.21 crore into the Drug Price Equalization Account (DPEA) for overcharging betamethasone bulk drugs and its formulations. The company's decision to deposit the amount is in compliance with the Supreme Court order a few weeks ago in this regard thus ending a 20-year-old dispute with the Government.


CDSCO seizes banned drugs of prominent pharma cos
Ramesh Shankar, Mumbai

Concerned over the reports of continued availability of banned drugs in the market, the office of the DCGI has embarked on widespread raids on the pharmacy outlets in the national capital and has seized several banned drugs manufactured by prominent pharma companies in the country.


DoP formulating strategy to boost SME for five-fold growth
Ramesh Shankar, Mumbai

The Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) is formulating a multi-pronged strategy to boost the Small and Medium pharma Enterprises (SMEs) in the country for a five-fold growth size of at least US$ 40 billion by 2020 from the US$ 8 billion at present.


Health Min pushes deadlines to make six AIIMS operational
Joseph Alexander, New Delhi

The Union health ministry has further pushed the deadline for making the proposed six AIIMS-like institutions fully operational. According to the new deadline, the medical colleges at six sites will be made functional from academic year 2012-13 and hospitals in the year 2013-14.


Kerala to amend Abkari Act to regulate sale of arishtams, aasavams
Peethaambaran, Chennai

The government of Kerala may bring an amendment to the Kerala Spirituous Preparations (Control) Rules, which will compliment the Kerala Abkari Act 1966, in order to make the preparation and sale of arishtams and aasavams (spirituous preparations) are effectively regulated, it is learnt.


DoP to set up NFDC to help SMEs
Joseph Alexander, New Delhi

With large number of drugs losing patents in the near future throwing up huge opportunities for Indian manufacturers of generic formulations, the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) wants to set up at least one National Formulation Development Centre (NFDC) to assist the small and medium scale units to grab a decent pie from the emerging world market.           


Madras HC reserves judgment on six banned drugs case
Ramesh Shankar, Mumbai

The Madras High Court's stay order on the Union health ministry's notification dated February 10, 2011, banning six of the most controversial drugs - nimesulide (below 12 years age), cisapride, phenylpropanolamine (PPA), human placenta extracts, sibutramine & its formulations and R-sibutramine & its formulations - is still valid as the court is yet to vacate the stay, allowed on a petition filed by the pharma major Cipla Ltd.


CDA Bill stalled due to opposition by States, UTs
Joseph Alexander, New Delhi

The strong opposition by several states have put the reintroduction of the Drugs and Cosmetics (amendment) Bill aimed at setting up the Central Drug Authority (CDA) on hold, even as the Union Health Ministry wants to push it without any further dilution.


Karnataka dept of health cancels organ transplant license of Fortis
Nandita Vijay, Bangalore

Karnataka’s department of health and family welfare has cancelled the license given to Fortis Hospital, Bannerghatta Road, to conduct liver and kidney transplants and homograft. The license cancellation order came in response to a complaint lodged by Retd. Major Pankaj Rai whose wife Seema Rai, succumbed after a pancreas transplant surgery carried out on her by the hospital after her admission in May 2010.


Automatic 100% FDI in pharma may change to approval route
Joseph Alexander, New Delhi

The government is likely to change the existing automatic mode of allowing 100% of FDI in the pharma sector into the approval route, with different Ministries and departments raising objections to the stand taken by the Planning Commission.


Jeevanadhara turns into model project for AP
Peethaambaran, Chennai  

On the lines of the centrally implemented project, Jan Aushadhi, efforts of a district administration in Andhra Pradesh in launching Jeevanadhara Pharmacy to make available quality medicines at affordable rates have won remarkable acclaim in the state and got the state government’s nod to replicate it in all other districts as a government project.       


Panel raps DoP for not getting new schemes approved
Joseph Alexander, New Delhi

The Parliamentary panel attached to the Chemicals Ministry came down heavily on the DoP for its half-hearted approach to get five new schemes, pending for four years, approved by the Planning Commission.


DoP moots imposition of anti-dumping duty on API from China
Joseph Alexander, New Delhi

With the increasing import of active pharma ingredients (API) from China affecting the domestic bulk drug industry and impacting cost factors of formulations, the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) has sought stern measures including anti-dumping duty on API imports from China.


PCI mandates pharmacists' annual registration renewal
Nandita Vijay,  B’lore

The Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) has mandated that all pharmacists should renew their registrations annually and undergo a Continuing Education Programme (CEP) which is a refresher course to audit the qualification and quality of pharmacists.                                   


Experts lambast DoP's new cost based pricing policy
Ramesh Shankar, Mumbai

Even as the industry has more or less welcomed the new Cost Based Pricing (CBP) policy announced by the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) as part of its National Pharmaceuticals Pricing Policy, this “never-heard-of-before methodology” of the DoP has come in for sharp criticism from the experts as they say that the policy will not serve the desired purpose of bringing down the prices of drugs.