The Pharma Panel of Chemexcil may cease to exist soon with the commerce ministry's recent decision to entrust the entire export promotion of drugs and pharmaceuticals with the Pharmexcil, it is learnt. The ministry, however, is yet to issue a directive dismantling the Panel.

With the notification dated March 16 issued by the DGFT, the pharma panel of Chemexcil has become redundant and all pharmaceutical exporters now with Chemexcil have little option but to join Pharmexcil, according to informed sources.

The March 16 notification made it amply clear that exporters of drugs & pharmaceuticals should obtain RCMC only from Pharmexcil. The notification is intended to end all the confusion amongst the pharmaceutical exporters about the authority of the new Council.

The sources said that Pharmexcil would be henceforth representing Indian pharmaceutical industry in all major international pharma events like CPhI worldwide in Spain, CPhI China etc. If any promotional commitments have been made by Chemexcil on behalf of pharmaceutical exporters, they have to be transferred to Pharmexcil.

According to D B Mody, chairman of Pharmexcil, the new council already has 820 members in its rolls. These members belong to categories of large, medium and small exporters of drugs and pharmaceuticals. The exports from these 820 members account for 90 per cent of country's total pharmaceutical exports, he said.

He pointed out that for the current financial year, the commerce ministry has not made any market development assistance to Chemexcil as it has no role in promotion of drugs and pharmaceuticals from now onwards.