Push for production of drug APIs in India

 26-Oct-16, The Indian Express 

To reduce its dependence on China for active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) of drugs, the Prime Minister’s Office has instructed the NITI Aayog along with the ministries of health, commerce and industry, and chemicals and fertilisers to draw up a comprehensive plan to produce APIs in India.

Image: The Indian Express

About 84 per cent of APIs of all drugs manufactured in India are imported; 60 per cent from China alone. The Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) is in the process of setting up a regulatory office in China to better monitor the quality of products entering India.

The renewed ‘Make in India’ push for API production is in response to two main factors:

• India suffers a large trade deficit of about $53 billion with China
• The fear that a breakdown of relations between the countries could adversely impact the pharmaceutical industry and drug availability in the country

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