According to the Department of Pharmaceuticals' annual report for 2024-25, India imported medical devices worth $8.1 billion, while exports stood at $3.7 billion in the financial year 2023-24 (FY24)
India's pharmaceutical industry is losing around Rs 500 crore (Rs 5 billion) annually on account of destruction of expired drugs, hitting the bottom line of drug manufacturers, especially the small and medium ones.
The drug controlling authority in Chhattisgarh on Thursday raided and sealed a unit of an antibiotic manufacturing company, whose product was used in sterilisation camps in Bilaspur district where 13 women died and several others fell ill.
The top 300 pharmaceutical brands in the country will now bear a quick response (QR) code on their packaging to rein in spurious drugs and ensure better traceability.
The drugs manufacturing industry is on a state of alert following two landmark developments over a cancer treatment medicine.
The PhRMA's observation is significant against the backdrop of Swiss pharma major Novartis AG's decision to relocate its R&D investments from India.
Agriculture, pharma, electronics, and engineering goods together accounted for over 50 per cent of India's merchandise exports in 2024-25, according to government data, highlighting the country's growing strength in diverse sectors amid efforts to boost manufacturing and value-added exports.
The industry feels that prices of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) can go up in the range of 5-15 per cent.
A critical drug developed on a DRDO technology for radiological and nuclear emergencies has received approval from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), the defence ministry said on Tuesday.
Oral paracetamol and another cough medicine manufactured by companies based in Mumbai and Punjab were found to be "sub-standard or found to be containing toxins", reports Sohini Das.
The ability of Indian pharmaceutical companies to command higher margins in international markets is helping sustain business.
Overall slowdown in the economy and growing volumes of unbranded generic medicines in the domestic market are behind poor sales.
Pharma firm Micro Labs Ltd plans to invest Rs 100 crore (Rs 1 billion) in setting up three drug manufacturing units -- two in Bangalore and one in Goa -- next year.
The FDA has stepped up its efforts to ensure drug safety in recent months.
Various industry bodies have sought immediate government intervention through the imposition of anti-dumping duties, claiming India has seen a surge in imports of Chinese goods over the past two weeks.
The Bombay high court on Wednesday permitted Johnson & Johnson to manufacture, sell and distribute its baby powder and quashed three orders of the Maharashtra government revoking the company's license and asking it to stop the product manufacture and sale, terming them as "stringent, unreasonable and unfair". A division bench of Justices Gautam Patel and S G Dige also came down heavily on the state Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its delay in carrying out tests on a sample of the company's baby powder seized in December 2018. The bench noted that while maintaining standards of quality and safety are of utmost importance for cosmetic products, at the same time it does not seem reasonable to shut down the whole manufacturing process when there is a slight deviation in one of the products.
Maya Chemtech India Pvt Ltd supplied propylene glycol used in Marion Biotech's cough syrups that were found to be "not of standard quality", according to the regulator.
Indian pharmaceutical companies are stepping up their efforts to combat the problem of counterfeit drugs, employing a variety of strategies, from packaging innovations to engaging private investigation agencies. The stakes are high, as counterfeit medicines not only harm consumers but also tarnish the reputation of leading brands.
Big pharma companies, however, said while it was true that formulation players would not rush to buy raw material, they could not afford losing customers.
After registering a net profit of Rs 25.1 crore in Q3FY25 and consolidated revenues growing by 7 per cent on a like-for-like basis, Siddharth Mittal, chief executive officer (CEO) and managing director, Biocon, told Sohini Das/Business Standard in a virtual interaction that local manufacturing in the US is a trade off between cost and qualifying to do business there.
Pharma Link, a joint venture of leading pharmaceutical support service provider Interpharma Asia-Pacific
market, was today seized from an illegal drug manufacturing unit in Jalgaon district in north Maharashtra and six persons were arrested, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence officials said.
Reliance Life Sciences is planning to invest at least Rs 1,000 crore (Rs 10 billion) to set up hospitals in the country's metros and dispensaries in small towns.
A probe has been initiated by India's drug regulator after the World Health Organisation (WHO) issued an alert saying cough syrups manufactured by an Indian firm could potentially be linked to the death of children in The Gambia, official sources said.
The API of Paracetamol, a fever and pain medication, has grown 25 per cent from Rs 450-480 per kg in December 2020 to Rs 580-600 per kg in April. When compared to the pre-Covid prices of December 2019, the surge is much steeper -- around 140 per cent, reports Sohini Das.
The minister said that his ministry will clear its stance on Patanjali's ayurvedic drugs after reviewing the report sent by it.
Gold, silver and other precious metals along with imported mobile phones, certain cancer drugs and medical devices are set to become cheaper with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announcing cuts in customs duty in the Union Budget 2024-25.
Amid the ongoing global tariff war, Reserve Bank Governor Sanjay Malhotra on Wednesday said he is more worried about its impact on growth than inflation. Speaking to the media after presentation of the first bi-monthly monetary policy for the current financial year, Malhotra said, RBI has reduced the growth forecast for 2025-26 by 20 basis points to 6.5 per cent.
The products worth Rs 5,000 crore have been banned for manufacture, distribution and sale with immediate effect causing hardship to manufacturers and patients.
President Donald Trump delayed tariffs on Mexico and Canada for a short-term period for certain products before the 'big one' from April 2.
Drug major Sun Pharma is recalling over 34,000 bottles of a generic medication, used to treat high blood pressure, in the US market due to failed dissolution testing. As per the US Food and Drug Administration's Enforcement Report, the US-based arm of Sun Pharmaceutical Industries is recalling lots of Diltiazem Hydrochloride extended-release capsules which are used to treat angina, high blood pressure and some types of irregular heartbeats.
Indian pharmaceutical companies have made major strides in adhering to stringent US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) norms in 2024, with data suggesting a decline in the number of adverse classification outcomes of inspections across biologics, drugs, and devices. In 2023, the USFDA conducted 225 inspections, which led to 18 cases of Official Action Indicated (OAI) and 117 cases of Voluntary Action Indicated (VAI).
Here is a list of items set to become cheaper and costlier.
'Kamal has surfed and navigated a lot of tidal waves, manoeuvring the peaks and troughs, combining rare intelligence and commonly available intuitions to overcome unimaginable crises all his life.' 'There is no looking back at the past, for his only motto has been 'Tomorrow belongs to us'!'
Competition in the US pharmaceutical market swelled in recent years, with increasing generic penetration.
European regulators have estimated that consumers are paying up to 20 per cent more for medicines in some cases.
They said after examining and analysing the adverse event reports, causal relationship and all related details shared by or to be shared by the WHO, the committee will advise and recommend further course of action to the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI).
