The Drug Regulatory Authorities of Tajikistan (GENSEL) has made registration process mandatory for the drug products importing to that country, with effect from January 2007.

The new system comes as a result of the significant growth in Tajik Pharmaceutical Industry for the last two years and to curb import of spurious drugs, according to drug regulatory authorities of Tajikistan.

As per the new registration procedure, the manufacturer or supplier has to register each product at a cost of 1750 US$ for export of the medicines to the country, with 5 years validity. Pharmexcil sources said the decision would further burden Indian drug exporters to Tajikistan. A member of CIS countries with a population of 70 lakh people, Tajikistan has a Rs 50 crore potential pharmaceutical market. Of this, Indian exporters account for about Rs 8 crore.

Pharmexcil recently took a delegation to Tajikistan, and has recommended for joint certification with GENSEL to support the regulatory requirements, to ensure the quality of drugs exported to Tajikistan. While welcoming the Pharmexcil, which has been nominated as the responsible organization to coordinate on the issue of Fast Track Registration, the Agakhan Foundation, which procures over $ one million drugs in Tajikistan every year, suggested members of the delegation to get their products registered in the country and also requested to identify herbal and medicinal plants available in Tajikistan with a team of Indian experts. The Pharmexcil agreed to conduct a study tour to explore the potential, later, according to the Pharmexcil sources.

The Aga Khan Foundation, a non-profit international development agency under Swiss law, also suggested Pharmexcil that if the product is getting registered with, it can be supplied to other countries where the Foundation is in operation. The foundation operates in Asia and East Africa and has branches and independent affiliates in 15 countries.