The 67th Indian Pharmaceutical Congress at Mysuru has taken off on a positive note with the Union government and the industry to create healthy India.

India is already called the pharmacy of the world. With over 70 per cent of the pocket expenses allocated for drugs, there is a serious concern to ensure quality. Most of the population of the world consumes medicines from India.

There is equal need to focus on preventive healthcare by educating people on the same, said Dr. G.N. Singh, Drugs Controller General of India and president, 67th IPC.

In his address Union minister for chemicals and fertilisers and pharmaceuticals Ananth Kumar said that Indian pharma will need to adhere to 3As: authenticity, availability and affordability. These are of utmost importance for achieving a healthy India.

"India already has the highest number of USFDA plants and every third drug consumed by a patient globally is from India. But now it is high time that India moves to adopt 3 Ds too. These are drug discovery, development of bulk drugs and medical devices. The government is making every effort to develop pharma parks and clusters to ensure that it could enable policies for taxation, infrastructure among other incentives, said minister Kumar.

The country can take a lead if it can reduce cost of manufacture through these pharma parks which can have common facilities. This will enable to save 30 per cent, he said.

Around 1000 representatives from industry and regulatory are among the 6,000 participants present.