Commerce ministry is planning to set up a dedicated healthcare trust to promote and generate awareness about the generic prowess of the Indian pharma industry globally. The main aim behind this initiative is to build up a strong image of brand India by boosting the confidence of the stakeholders by annihilating any doubts relating to the quality parameters effectively, by clarifying the same through an government accredited body.

The commerce ministry has already assigned the Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council of India (Pharmexcil) and Indian Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF) to jointly go ahead with this plan and actively invite all the national level association to be a member of this trust. It is understood that the IBEF and Pharmexcil will in consultation with the government jointly review and plan major campaigning for the Indian pharma industry.

It is understood that keeping the best interest of the industry, the commerce ministry is eager to expedite the matter and go ahead with the institution of the Trust in the coming two to three months. Going along with this, Pharmexcil along with IBEF plans to meet the stakeholders to deliberate over this mater early in October. If things go as planned, then as per the proposal the government will be partly financing all the cost associated with the expenses incurred.

The proposal to form the Trust, which will act as the global PR for the Indian pharma industry, has already garnered a lot of support especially since it will help in timely emphasising and communicating the facts about the Indian generic industry across the globe, informed Dr P V Appaji director general, Pharmexcil. “Setting up of this trust will enable systematic delivery of all the important information which includes communicating with the global media and government agencies on important issues on an urgent basis. This initiative further stands as the proof of the commerce ministries commitment towards helping the exports from the country, which unfortunately had been mired in controversies due to lack of timely clarification of the matters or intervention from the government,” he added.