EMERGING SUPER POWER IN PHARMA

EXPORT

Mohammad Shahbaz Alam

From New Delhi, medicarechief@gmail.com
Success makes so many people hate you. I wish it wasn't that way. It would be wonderful to
enjoy success without seeing envy in the eyes of those around you. By the time of independence,
India was battered, bruised and left wounded. Ancient India was called a Golden Sparrow
because it was wealthy, prosperous and had established Socio-economic systems. India has
started regaining the Golden Sparrow era. Competitors are trying to stop us legally and illegally
but every time we are crossing the barrier. India has developed worlds most economical
cryogenic rocket engine and super computer, its challenge for the world.
The Indian pharmaceuticals market is third largest in terms of volume and thirteen largest in
terms of value, as per a pharmaceuticals sector analysis report by equity master. India has
achieved an eminent global position in pharma sector. The country also has a huge pool of
scientists and engineers who have the potential to take the industry to a very high level. The UNbacked Medicines Patents Pool has signed six sub-licences with Aurobindo, Cipla, Desano,
Emcure, Hetero Labs and Laurus Labs, allowing them to make generic anti-AIDS medicine
Tenofovir Alafenamide (TAF) for 112 developing countries.
The Indian pharmaceutical sector is expected to grow five-fold to reach` 5 lakh crore (USD
91.45 billion) by 2020. The Ministry of Commerce has targeted Indian pharma sector exports at
USD 25 billion by 2015 at an annual growth rate of 25 per cent. World over the pharma industry
is increasingly looking towards India for high quality, low cost pharma solutions. US is the
topmost destination for Indian Pharma exports followed by Russia, Germany and Austria.
Currently 3000 manufacturers are exporting medicine out of approximately 25000 registered
pharmaceutical manufacturers. Those who are not eligible for exports are schedule-M and GMP
approved plants. Most of the pharma manufacturer is not aware that GMP approved plant can
also export. GMP approved plant is eligible to export multiminerals and multivitamin across the
world as of now. Herbal GMP approved plant is equally eligible to export formulation across the
world.
On 11th September, 2015 DCGI organised workshop with the association of IDMA, DOP and
FOPE in Haridwar with schedule-M and GMP approved plants. He suggested them to join band
wagon of export market to augment future export of India. More and more pharmaceutical
manufacturers should join band wagon as a growth engine of pharma export. We should create a
platform to give guidance to upcoming exporters from very scratch.
Competitors are fearful with the growth of Indian export and hence repercussion is there in
different part of the world. The European Union has banned the marketing of around 700 generic
medicines for alleged manipulation of clinical trials conducted by India's pharmaceutical
research company GVK Biosciences. The largest EU-wide suspension of sales and distribution
of generic drugs ordered by the European Commission and it is into effect from August 21 and it
will be applicable to all 28 member nations, according to Germany's drug regulator, the Federal
Institute for Medicines and Medical Products (BfArM). The European Union move is not
justified because there was an error in only one study. This one error has given USD 1.2 billion
loss to this nation (5% of total export). Whole Europe accounts for USD 3 billion export market
for India.

In another repercussion, Azerbaijan rejected all registration of Indian pharmaceutical exporter in

one day in repercussion of revengeful action because India had given vote in favor of Armenia
and against Azerbaijan. This happened 8 years back and till to date not a single pharma exporter
have gone there nor diplomats have taken it seriously to resolve the issue said Manoj Kumar,
Regulatory Consultant of CIS. Minimal revengeful action also seen in Ukraine. After Crimea
acquisition by Russia, Ukraine started raiding Indian companies and demanded penalty in
millions of dollars because India given favour to Russia. Surprisingly no diplomatic initiative has
been taken against Azerbaijan and Ukraine. Ukraine wants that somebody should come from
Indian government to discuss the issue and to resolve it immediately. Ukraine has shown mild
revenge because of democratic nature of the country but Azerbaijan is autocrat in nature hence
shown the action accordingly said Manoj Kumar, Regulatory Consultant of the CIS based in
Ukraine.
India is among the top 20 pharmaceutical exporting countries globally and has shown
commendable export performance with continuous positive trade of balance. Exports constitute a
major part of Indian pharmaceutical Industry and at present it is around 45-49% of total turnover
of the Industry. Indian drugs are exported to around 200 countries in the world with highly
regulated markets of USA, UK etc. The top five exporting destination countries are USA, Russia,
Germany, Austria and UK. USA alone accounting for almost 20% of total pharma export. The
major therapeutic categories of export are anti infective, anti asthmatic and anti hypertensive.
No one can stop India in providing affordable with global standard medicine to all categories of
global citizen. India is not money eyed country. Every country should join wining band wagon of
India to excel equally today and in days to come.