Series of studies augur well for pharma & medical devices industries

The government should not lose focus as an industry friendly ambience is the need of the hour to take the pharmaceutical and medical devices industries to the next level in the coming years

In a decision which will go a long way in framing industry-friendly policies to provide tailwinds to the pharmaceutical and medical devices industries in the country, the Department of Pharmaceuticals of Union Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers are engaging the services of experienced research agencies to work with the Government of India and submit reports on a series of studies on pharmaceutical and medical devices sectors in the country to help it frame policies, monitoring the schemes and recommend corrective measures.

Out of the total eight studies for which the Department of Pharmaceuticals has already floated Request for Proposals, five studies have been awarded to the research agencies now.

Initially, agencies have been selected for conducting one short term study and four long term studies related to these sectors under the Pharmaceutical Promotion and Development Scheme. The scheme was introduced by the government for promotion, development and export of pharmaceutical sector by extending financial support for conduct of seminars, conferences, exhibitions, and conducting studies and consultancies for the growth of the industry. Now, the government has already selected one agency for this purpose.

For the short term study on assessment of skill requirement of Indian Pharma Industry, the Himachal Pradesh-based Biovantis Healthcare, an integrated healthcare product development company, has been assigned to do the study. The study is to identify the underlying factors with respect to the demand-supply mismatch as against opportunities for post-graduate and doctorate holders from National Institutes of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPERs) in the Indian pharmaceutical industry.

The Centre for Market Research & Social Development has been assigned to study on three long term studies. First one is on Survey of Medical Devices Clusters and another one is on Pharma Clusters. The study of medical devices clusters is being done to evaluate the industry's contribution to overall production, supplies and exports, assessment of infrastructure and logistics framework and suggest improvements and providing recommendations to cost efficiency and cost competitiveness of clusters. The study on pharma clusters is to evaluate contribution of these clusters to overall production, supplies and exports, assessment of infrastructure and logistics framework and suggest improvements, provide recommendations to boost efficiency and cost competitiveness of clusters.

The third study being done by the Centre for Market Research & Social Development is on novel or innovative and cost-effective technologies for route of synthesis to decrease cost of production of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs), which are currently being imported to the country, to reduce import dependence, especially on China.

The Centre for Market Research & Social Development is a research and consultation organisation established in the year 2000 and focusing on social research, development and market research mainly for government agencies in the country. The Institute for Studies in Industrial Development (ISID), a sponsored institution of Indian Council of Social Science Research, will be conducting another long term study on the Strategy for leveraging ASEAN Free Trade Agreement and trade potential with the Middle East Countries for Pharma Sector in India.

Besides, the government will soon commission a study on the impact of Drug Price Control Order (DPCO) 2013 on the prices of cardiac stents, knee implants and six medical equipment which include oxygen concentrators, pulse oximeter, glucometer, BP monitor, nebuliser and digital thermometer on the industry and consumers in terms of availability and affordability, and also to assess the impact of price control on medical devices and equipment on the industry and consumers in terms of availability and affordability.

Another study will be conducted for assessment of procurement of medical devices in the public sector (central government), to recommend regarding the medical devices for which the domestic value addition is less than 25 per cent and ways to improve the same. Apart from all these, a long term study will be conducted on the uniform code for pharmaceutical marketing practices, a study of Indian experiences as against best global practices, to recommend steps for better implementation of the UCPMP to achieve a more efficient outcome.

Yet another study will be done to analyse on leveraging the patent cliff, with drug sales worth $251 billion going off patent soon. The pharmaceutical sector in the country will undergo landmark changes as a number of drugs are expected to go off-patent soon and make entry in the market as generic products. The study is expected to recommend actions and roadmap for implementation with regard to each stakeholder to actualise the potential identified.

The central government's initiative in this regard is a welcome move as these recommendations will go a long way in framing industry friendly policies. The government should not lose focus as an industry friendly ambience is the need of the hour to take the pharmaceutical and medical devices industries to the next level in the coming years.

(The author is freelance journalist with varied experience in different fields)