IIMs to prepare report on promoting drug exports

The Department of Pharmaceuticals has asked Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) — Bangalore, Calcutta and Ahmedabad — to prepare a strategy document for drug exports.

The strategy will form the basis of a programme to promote export of drugs manufactured by small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and public sector units.

The department’s move to equip smaller drug units to become medicine-suppliers to the world comes in the backdrop of alliances, mergers and acquisitions among big pharmaceutical players of the country.

The department expects the strategy to be ready in two-three months and hopes to launch an ‘Indian Pharma Programme’ early next year. “The SME sector is a very large constituent of Indian pharma sector. We want a professional view on how we can leverage the strengths of the SMEs. If the report suggests promotion of some companies under the India brand, we will be open to it,” said Ashok Kumar, secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals.

The department’s programme will not duplicate any existing export promotion activity. “The Pharmaceutical Export Promotion Council under the commerce ministry has several market access programmes. Our effort will be to supplement those with specialised marketing knowledge provided by the premium management institutes,” Kumar said.

Kumar says the support to the SME sector is not an indication that the big players are being avoided. “We are preparing a composite paper on pharma research (R&D) for the entire industry. It will take note of all ongoing R&D promotion programmes and suggest newer measures of collaboration, he added.

The department does not intend to create new institutions but will link all research projects to the seven National Institutes of Pharmaceutical Education and Research.

Each NIPER will have research programmes that cater to the disease specific to that region. The composite paper will spell out medium and long term plans,” he added