The SSI drug manufacturers in the country should gear up themselves to meet the Schedule M deadline as advanced manufacturing facilities would bring in more business opportunities in future, said A R Singh, drugs controller, South Zone.

Speaking at the inaugural function of the Indian Drugs Manufacturers Association (IDMA) workshop on Schedule M held in Chennai on Saturday last week, the official in his keynote address noted that numerous drugs would go off patent soon in the post 2005 scenario. Naturally most of the leading drug manufacturers would look forward to outsource firms having adequate infrastructure of world standards for contract manufacturing.

SSI manufacturers having strengths in specific areas of production should continue to concentrate on their strengths than trying to cater to all areas of drug manufacturing. With the deadline for complying with Schedule M just few months away, the manufacturers should try to meet the deadline at the earliest, opined A R Singh.

M.Kannan, director of Drugs Control (in charge) of Tamil Nadu noted that various arms of the healthcare industry have to work in union to ensure quality healthcare delivery.

SV Veeramani, chairman of SSI Subcommittee and vice president of Southern Region of IDMA, said the initiative was based on a survey conducted among the IDMA members about their concern on Schedule M compliance, and the practical difficulties in implementing the norms. Apart from a series of workshops on Schedule M at the main drug manufacturing hubs in the country, IDMA would soon conduct a series of seminars on marketing to help the SSIs compete well and grow in the new patent regime, said Veeramani.

T.Ravichandran, chairman of IDMA Tamil Nadu State Board (TNSB) welcomed the gathering of 350 odd manufacturers and S Madhavan, secretary of IDMA TNSB, proposed the vote of thanks.