The open house meet between the industry and the officials, organised by Pharmaceutical Export Promotion Council (Pharmexcil) on July 3 in New Delhi, suggested setting up of a core group involving different ministries concerned with the pharmaceutical industry and associations to streamline the sector and redress the grievances regularly.

The Pharmexcil endeavour evoked a good response with a large number of manufacturers in North India turning up and senior officials from different departments assuring prompt action on the issues raised by the pharma players in the meet.

While the export promotion body assured to further follow up with different ministries the issues raised by the members, the meeting backed the idea of a joint mechanism involving different ministries and representatives of pharma associations. Instead of having interactions of large number of members, the core group could deliberate regularly on the general issues and problems in the industry and seek to settle them, DCGI Dr Surinder Singh suggested.

Joint Secretary in chemicals department G S Sandhu, advisor in DST Dr Samathanam, export commissioner Sanjay Rastogi and senior officials from the departments of Ayush, ministries of commerce and finance were among those who were present in the meet. Pharmexcil chairman Venkat Jasti, vice chairman Smitesh Shah and executive director Dr P V Appaji were also present in the meet.

Explaining the activities to streamline the office of the DCGI, Dr Singh assured to look into the several problems raised by the members. He said the office was in the process of appointing more staff including deputy drug controllers and things would be in place by the end of August. He also agreed to extend the timing and booster the facilities to attend the problems by the industry. Reiterating that he is 'open minded' to all the issues, he said the task was to strike a balance between the regulatory compulsions and the interests of the industry.