iPHEX 2015 will be a morale booster for the Indian pharmaceutical and healthcare industry, as it will be exploring newer avenues at a time when Indian bulk drugs and formulations exports have slowed down. Dr. P.V. Appaji, Director General of Pharmexcil, sheds light on iPHEX 2015 and the current scenario of Indian exports in an interview with Amguth Raju.
Please tell us about iPHEX and how different this edition will be from its earlier versions?
iPHEX is an international pharmaceutical and healthcare exhibition of India aimed at giving the Indian pharmaceutical industry an indigenous platform for promoting Brand India pharma to the world. Unlike other international events, iPHEX is exclusive for Indian pharmaceutical manufacturers and healthcare industry.
The major difference from the previous events and this particular event of iPHEX is its comprehensiveness. Earlier events were just focused on a particular region or a particular country, but iPHEX is a combination of all the events wherein we have the opportunity to exhibit our products, services, facilities and capabilities to the world at one place.
During our earlier events we use to have just one to one meeting across the table, but at this iPHEX we are providing them opportunities to exhibit their products in addition to across the table meets. Especially Indian exhibitors will have the opportunity to showcase their products and buyers will have opportunity to meet them in booths. Also we have made arrangements to those who cannot have booths. They can also participate in one to one BSMs and this way all buyers are attracted to attend BSMs. This gives an excellent opportunity for the Indian pharma to showcase their capabilities and strengths to the world.
In fact during the past few editions we could succeed in making iPHEX a big international brand for Indian Pharma.
Please tell us about the evolution of iPHEX and stake holders who can benefit from it?
This year iPEHX is entering its third edition. The major factor which had led to the evolution of iPHEX was the lack of a proper platform to showcase Indian pharma industry and its products exclusively. Earlier the central government used to give MAI approvals to hold buyer -seller meets on a regional basis focusing on particular areas like AFRICA, CIS, ASIAN and Latin America. But since last two years they have combined all and asked to make it an international event wherein all the stake holders like buyers, importers, regulators, associations and media are brought under one umbrella to share knowledge and exhibit their products. And hence iPHEX has given them an apt platform.
How many countries are expected to take part in the event? Could you tell us the number of exhibitors, buyers and sellers expected during the two day event?
For the consecutive third year, Pharmexcil is expecting 600 buyers from more than 100 countries from across the globe. Regulators and associations from 35 and 15 countries respectively are expected at the event. In addition to a large number of buyers and sellers and other visitors we are expecting about 300 pharma companies to exhibit their API’s, formulations and biotechnology products.
What are the highlights of the event this year and how do you view the support from the pharma industry in the country?
Major highlight of iPHEX 2015 is its technical session. These sessions will be organised on the sidelines of the exhibition. This time we have considerably improved the technical sessions and planning to organize focused seminar on Indian pharmacopeia with an intention to get it recognized by developing countries like SAARC partners and other international community.
With all our efforts, Pharmexcil has been able to muster support from all the stake-holders consecutively for the past three years and make iPHEX a big brand event of the pharma sector in India.
Is iPHEX giving priority to Indian System of Medicine (ISM) manufacturers and SMEs, if so what are the major initiatives taken to attract SMEs in this segment?
We are providing opportunity to companies of Indian medical systems like Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathic (AYUSH) streams to showcase their products. We are also encouraging SMEs to take part in this event in a big way. They have been given concessions financial benefits from the government.
Will iPHEX be highlighting ‘Make in India’ campaign and what are your programmes for this?
We will be definitely highlighting ‘Make in India’ at iPHEX 2015. As part of this, we want to showcase India’s capabilities in contract manufacturing. Indian firms are highly capable of doing contract manufacturing for the foreign companies and we want to attract countries to invest in our country and set up manufacturing facilities in pharma and healthcare segments. In fact we are inviting Japanese investors to use India as a hub for manufacturing. Towards this, our 15 member delegation for CPhI Japan has extended invitation to visit iPHEX and become part of Make in India programme.
From an industry perspective, how does an Indian manufacturer gain from this event?
iPHEX is definitely going to benefit to all the stake-holders of Indian pharmaceutical and healthcare industry. Not just exhibiting products, attending seminars and taking part in meetings, but at iPHEX one can build long-term business relations with leading industrialists and top notch people who will be available at one place. Not all will get the chance of meeting people all people, but iPHEX is one place that will give them a meeting point. Scientists and young researchers will be able to interact with policy makers, regulators, businessmen, and they will also have the opportunity to discuss and deliberate on issues concerning the industry. So, overall iPHEX will be beneficial in one way or other to everyone related to the industry.
Could you please share details relating to workshops, seminars and conferences, and the major topics for discussion?
During iPHEX, apart from exhibitions, presentations and panel discussions, we are organizing three important technical sessions. One technical session will discuss about importance of Indian pharmacopeia, strength and its equivalence with international pharmacopeia and benefits to the manufacturers and importers in terms of cost reduction and quick supply of required medicines. The second technical seminar will discuss on excipients and a third seminar is considered for helping the exporters to regulated markets.
In what way the third technical seminar would be helpful for exporters?
We have been seeing a lot of warning letters and import alerts from USFDA, EU and other regulatory bodies and majority of the pharma companies do not know how to approach FDA for rectification. In order to have a deeper understandings and address the regulatory issues, these technical sessions will help exporters address the concerns and to handle the crisis situation. For this we are inviting the top US attorneys who are thorough and well experienced in these subjects and arranging presentation by them and one panel discussion on the subject.
Could you give us a brief on Indian pharma exports and its performance during the past one year?
Last year the industry had achieved an export turnover of Rs.90, 000 crore ($15.1 billion) for the overall pharmaceutical, biotechnology and AYUSH products, while this year it is expecting a growth of 15 per cent and probably may have crossed Rs.100, 000 crore by end of March 2015.
During the past one year, export could record only 1-1.5 per cent growth in dollar terms.