The Confederation of Indian Pharmaceutical Industries (CIPI) would request the Union Government to grant another extension for the submission of the report of the Mashelkar Committee on Review of Drugs Regulatory System in India. CIPI feels that it will not be able to convince the Mashelkar Committee the genuine concerns of the 15,000 small scale drug units before the current deadline of October 27.

The CIPI feels that the small scale sector, which has to bear the brunt of any strict regulatory measures initiated by the government, have not been properly represented in the committee.

According to T S Jaishankar, Chairman, CIPI, none of the licensed SSI drug unit is engaged in the manufacture of spurious drugs. "There is no use in bringing in strict regulatory measures against licensed manufacturers as spurious drugs business is carried out by unlicensed antisocial elements. The government has to plug the loopholes with the trade channels. The government should issue wholesale / retail licenses only after through scrutiny," he said.

Jaishankar is of the opinion that the credibility of the trade license applicant should be checked before the grant of licenses. "Today a drug license is needed if you want to apply for a sales tax number. Let this be reversed. Drug trade licenses should be issued to people who have a prior sales tax / income tax registration."

He feels that the drug trade sector is not held accountable for the mistakes on their part.

A 40-member CIPI delegation, with representatives from all state-level drug manufacturers' associations, met the Union Minister last week and also sought more time to comply with the new Schedule M norms. The delegation tried to highlight the creative role SSIs have played in Indian pharma manufacturing sector over the last several decades.

According to the chairman, the confederation is buying more time to comply with the Schedule M requirements, as it wants all the members to upgrade their facilities in near future.

The CIPI has decided to organize a mega show of strength in January 2004. The first national convention of the new born CIPI will have delegates from all state pharma manufacturers associations'. With its cumulative member strength crossing 15,000, CIPI is tipped as the true representative organization of Indian pharmaceutical sector.

The Convention would also dispel the myth of drug SSIs being the manufacturers of sub-standard drugs in the country. The Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare is to inaugurate the convention which would highlight the "50 years' contribution of SSIs in drugs sector.

The CIPI is also planning to appoint top consultants for the benefit of its members. With the support of specialists on tax, legal matters, and the like, the confederation intends to strengthen its lobbying powers.