The Union health ministry's high power task force, constituted in March this year under the chairmanship of Dr VM Katoch, secretary department of health research and director general, ICMR, for formulating a long term policy and strategy for strengthening of drug sector in the country held its preliminary meeting recently. The meeting took stock of the latest developments in the sector.

According to sources, no concrete decision was taken in the first meeting which was attended by industry representatives and senior officials including Dr R K Srivastava, director general, DGHS, who is the co-chairman of the task force. The meeting reviewed the developments in the drug sector in the country including the regulatory developments. Some decisions are expected to be taken in the next meeting, for which a date is yet to be fixed. The task force has to submit its recommendations to the government within three months of the first meeting.

The health ministry has asked the task force to evolve a short, medium and long term policy and strategy to make India a hub for drug discovery, research and development. It also asked the task force to recommend measures to tackle the problem of spurious and adulterated drugs and also to devise road maps for implementation of all recommended strategies and measures.

Sources said that the panel will look into the entire gamut of issues concerning the industry and will recommend strategies to strengthen the sector. It will frame measures to assure national drug security by promoting indigenous production of bulk drugs, preventing take-over of Indian pharma industry by MNCs, controlling drug pricing and promoting generic drugs. It will also recommend measures to assure adequate availability of quality generic drugs at affordable prices.

The panel will suggest steps to tackle the problem of spurious drugs – use of anti counterfeit technologies, consider and advise on any other issue incidental, and devise road maps for implementation of all recommended measures.

The 16-member task force has members from all the stakeholders including the industry. Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) Dr Surinder Singh is the member secretary of the task force. The other members of the task force include: chairman, National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA); additional secretary & DG, ministry of health and family welfare; joint secretary, department of industrial policy & promotion; and representatives from industry associations like IDMA, IPA, OPPI, FOPE, CIPI, BDMA and SPIC. Besides, there will be one representative each from FICCI, ASSOCHAM and CII.