Contrary to the earlier decision, the Consortium of Indian Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Marketers Association (CIPMMA) based in southern Tamil Nadu has now decided to remain as an independent body exclusively for marketers rather than merging with any national organisation. However, it will seek membership with the Confederation of Indian Pharmaceutical Industries (CIPI) maintaining independent identity, it is learnt.

The Association was started in the year 2008 and in its second and third annual meetings held in 2009 and in 2010, it had taken a keen decision to merge with CIPI, because the manufacturers and marketers of Madurai, Thanjavur and Trichy wanted support from a strong organisation to address their issues. With this object in mind, the office-bearers of CIPMMA approached the chairman of CIPI two times and held a series of  discussions, but no acceptable outcome had come out. Though there is state organisation for manufacturers in Tamil Nadu, it is alleged that the Chennai based manufacturers association is primarily giving prominence to the issues of the northern based manufacturing companies and marketing companies. The Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Tamil Nadu is mainly taking up Chennai based issues and problems of those companies, CIPMMA members said.

In support of a separate identity,  A Karunai Kadal, the chairman of the association responded “If we merge with any other organisation, our identity will be lost. We are marketers, different from wholesalers and retailers. We are asking for certain special demands for which we want to keep our identity. So we want an organisation of our own, specially locating southern part of the state”.

According to S Nagaraju, the president, the government has not recognized his organisation as a separate body. But now they have more than 400 members comprising manufacturers and marketers. “Our mode of operation is different from distributors. We are now in the emerging stage and want to become a separate organisation with base all over India. Our activities will be pervaded into other states shortly,” he said.

But T S Jaishankar, the chairman of CIPI said so far no discussion was held between CIPI and CIPMMA on merger issue. “The marketers’ organisation wished to join CIPI as a member, just as several state level organizations all over India. Upon receipt of a request from CIPPMA, the same could be placed at the EC meeting of CIPI.  On the face of it , I shall be very happy to recommend to the Board of CIPI  to consider membership for CIPMMA”.

Last week, the fourth annual state conference of the association was held in Thanjavur in which more than 400 people from across the state attended. The organisation passed a resolution demanding separate licence for marketers. It also raised a demand to establish a comprehensive pharma park in Madurai for the development of pharmaceutical industry in south Tamil Nadu. Further the conference wanted the state government to establish a drug testing lab in Thanjavur.