China's API exports to India touched $3.3 billion last year, while Indian drugs struggled to post $500 million worth of exports to China.
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry will go ahead with the proposal for 2D barcoding and a unique 'randomly generated numeric code' on packets of medicine destined for export, a senior official said.
After creating a 'level-playing field' for Chinese telecom companies doing business in India, New Delhi has asked Beijing to reciprocate by creating opportunities for its IT and pharma industry.
Pharma major Dr Reddy's Laboratories has opposed the parliamentary Standing committee's recommendations of increasing the number of drugs under price control and cap on profit margins of all medicines.
While the strategic focus of the budget on various matters is explicit, the process by which it will translate into a tangible outcome is still to be made unequivocal.
The situation is severe in North India as most of the logistics operation was manned by migrant labourers from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. The problem with manpower is not only in courier and delivery services, but also at a shop level.
In an email interview, the Mumbai-based Devdutt Pattanaik spoke to redidff.com about his latest book on the Mahabharata and about what lessons the epic holds for today's times
With the virus mutating, can vaccines be assumed safe and effective in the long run?
The year also witnessed Mumbai-based Sun Pharmaceutical continue the tussle for taking over Israeli drug firm Taro, while MNCs struck alliances with Indian companies to capitalise on generics expertise in New Delhi.
Researchers at Northwell Health in New York are testing the effects on Famotidine (used in high intravenous doses) on Covid-19 patients as a potential treatment. After the hospital announced its clinical trials, it led to a drug shortage in the US. Back home, however, there has not been any surge in the demand for Famotidine yet.
According to industry experts, there are more than 10,000 drug manufacturers in the country and most of them are small-sector units operating in the generic segment. With a large number of drugs going off-patent in developed markets like the US and Europe, Indian companies are expected to garner a lion's share in the segment.
'Taking serious note of the action by unscrupulous elements to malign the Indian generic pharma industry, the embassy of India, Beijing, has been requested to lodge a strong protest with concerned Chinese authorities and also to impress upon them to take stringent action against such unscrupulous elements,' a commerce ministry statement said in New Delhi.
The Promed group manufactures and delivers branded as well as generic pharmaceutical formulations to Russia, CIS, south-east Asian countries, the UK and EU.
While the chemicals ministry, which drafted the policy, is the administrative ministry for the pharma industry, quality regulation and marketing approvals come under the purview of the health ministry. Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, who heads the GoM, asked health and chemicals secretaries to sort out the issues and get back to the GoM at the earliest.
Hit by the new drug pricing policy and regulatory interventions, growth rate of the Rs 72,069-crore Indian pharmaceutical market has slowed down to 9.8 per cent in 2013 as compared to 16.6 per cent in 2012, says a report.
It is a Budget with a strong emphasis on agriculture, education, healthcare and infrastructure.
'People are doing a lot of trading.' 'Short-term euphoria can be seen.' 'Retail participation is best through MFs and PMS.'
The transaction, to be followed up by an open offer, puts the entire deal value between $3.4 billion and $4.6 billion.
The central government wants to impose the levy; many states are opposed - at least, to the Centre doing so
Data also show that several other leading domestic pharma companies have recalled their products from the US
Rupee appreciation has hit the pharma industry as exports for the financial year 2007-08 are estimated to rise a moderate 7 per cent against the targetted 30 per cent growth. Besides rupee appreciation, the dent in exports due to pricing pressure in the US, where a lot of products have gone off patent recently, also affected the exports.
The products worth Rs 5,000 crore have been banned for manufacture, distribution and sale with immediate effect causing hardship to manufacturers and patients.
Pharmaceutical companies which increase prices of their medicines beyond 10 per cent in a year will face regulatory action.
We import from China not because we love China, but because they sell us these things at cheap prices, points out Rathin Roy.
Prices may drop by up to 92 per cent with the pharma industry agreeing to a government proposal on capping trade margins.
The current crisis has forced the government to announce measures to ensure that India becomes self-sustaining for any kind of bulk drug. The government says India will not depend on any other country for vital key ingredients for drugs within six years, reports Sheela Bhatt.
With a view to boost the vibrant pharma industry in the state, Andhra Pradesh government plans to set up mini-pharma cities
Gold, forex assets, IT sector, pharma. Devangshu Datta explains why each of these is a good hedge against market shocks at this time.
Experts say while the increasing demand for a ban on Chinese goods might make for good optics, the reality is that India is still heavily dependent on that country in a wide range of industries like electronics, mobile devices, auto, pharma, telecom equipment, and fertilisers.
The intention of the government is to cap prices of drugs that are essential and which the public widely uses.
The government said that "in exercise of extraordinary powers in public interest, conferred by paragraph 19 of the DPCO, 2013", the ceiling prices of 21 key formulations had been increased. These formulations include common medicines like BCG vaccines, penicillin, malaria and leprosy medicines (Dapsone), life-saving drugs like Furosemide (used to treat fluid build-up due to heart failure, liver scarring, or kidney disease), vitamin C, some common antibiotics, and anti-allergy medicines.
India, with its strong research and development base in life sciences, IT and pharma industries, is on the threshold of a revolution in biotechnology, scientists at the BioAsia 2004 Summit said in Hyderabad on Thursday.
Nicholas Piramal India, a dominant player in the domestic pharmaceutical industry, appears to be unfazed by the anticipated consequences of the product patent regime that comes into play from January 2005.
Under the current administration, political attitudes toward IP seem to have improved.
Here's the full text of President's Ram Nath Kovind's address to the joint sitting of both houses of Parliament on the first of Budget Session 2022.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances