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India needs a more developed API industry-friendly policy for growth of pharma industry: Dr Subhash Mandal
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Peethaambaran Kunnathoor, Chennai
August 28 , 2024
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India needs a more developed API industry-friendly policy for the development of the pharma sector and to become self-sufficient in active pharmaceutical ingredients. The industry sector has to match with its counterparts in other countries, especially in the area of drug discovery and development, comments Dr. Subhash C Mandal, chairman of the Regulatory Affairs Division of the IPA and the general secretary candidate for the IPA election.
“Being the oldest and apex pharmacy professional organisation in the country, the Indian Pharmaceutical Association (IPA) has some kind of distinct perspectives about the development of pharma industry and the pharmacy profession, hence as a candidate I presume that the new team of office-bearers who are going to be elected soon will coordinate with the state branches to take the issues with the central and the state governments,” he added.
In a telephonic chat with Pharmabiz from Kolkata, Dr Mandal said India has to reduce dependence on China and other countries for APIs, intermediates and excipients. If India is capable of manufacturing all the required substances for the drug production the MSME sector of the pharma industry will grow like anything. Today the MSMEs are procuring substances such as liquids, powders, crystals and extracts through middlemen in the industry or suppliers. The country has to grow further in the production of APIs, for that the country needs a concrete API-industry policy. The association will prepare a draft of the policy and submit it to the government for its consideration, said Dr Mandal, who was a regulatory officer in the drug control department in West Bengal.
He said the IPA has an agenda for the welfare of the Indian pharmacists and also for strengthening the pharma sector including regulations of drugs. After the Covid pandemic the association trained a batch of Pharm D graduates to equip them for vaccination programs in emergency conditions. Similar training should be given to all professionals, and all pharmacists should be made vaccinators. Besides, the pharmacists in India should be allowed to treat minor cases and prescribe drugs. This will raise the image of the pharmacists in India. With the approval of the union health ministry IPA wants to go forward with these programmes as a priority agenda. According to Mandal, a strong leadership is required for the association to undertake all these issues.
The Indian regulatory sector has to garner global confidence, so it needs to be strengthened with coordination from state regulatory agencies. An internationally accredited regulatory framework is necessary for the development of the industry as well as of the health sector. As chairman of the Regulatory Affairs Division (RAD) of the Indian pharmaceutical association I have put forward some suggestions before the association to be taken up with the government, Dr Mandal has pointed out that if he is elected to the post of general secretary he will bring this important issue to the government's attention.
The areas of hospital pharmacy and community pharmacy are also areas of concerns. Both of them need to be further developed to support the healthcare sector in India. The association has some suggestions which will be taken to all state branches for discussions and to garner support. IPA will also create opportunities for updating knowledge of pharma professionals working in industry, research, academia, hospital, community etc.
Dr Mandal is contesting for the general secretary post of the association. For the last 34 years he has been a part of the association and worked in different capacities including chairman of the Regulatory Affairs Division. J Jayaseelan from Tamil Nadu is the chairman of the industry division, who is a candidate for the presidential post. Dr. RN Gupta is the chairman of the hospital pharmacy division, Manjiri Gharat is the chairperson of the community division, and Dr S Vidhyadhara is the chairman of the education division.
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