EU ban on GVK-tested drugs a 'great concern': Sitharaman

India today expressed concern over EU's ban on medicines clinically tested by GVK Biosciences, saying it could lead to 'adverse campaign' about clinical trials done in the country.
"... This particular ban which has been imposed on a particular company on a certain number of pharmaceutical products, we fear there could be this adverse campaign about clinical trials and the quality of clinical trials," Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said.
She said the ban has come despite India engaging with the European Union and their regulatory bodies at various levels.
"I had also raised this issue when I met with the trade representative of the European Union and therefore the negative campaign, however small it may be, is of great concern for us," the minister told CNBC-TV18.

Explaining reasons for India's concern over the issue, she said, "... Pharmaceuticals in India have not only just captured good markets but have made expensive drugs, life saving drugs affordable for people whether here or anywhere else and that contribution of pharma coming from India especially in the last 10 years is something which we can not ignore."
Expressing disappointment and concern over the EU ban, India had deferred the talks with the European Union on the proposed free trade agreement.

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 will come into effect on August 21 and will be applicable to all 28 member nations, according to Germany's drug regulator, the Federal Institute for Medicines and Medical Products (BfArM).
Industry body Pharmexcil has said that India's business loss arising from the European Union's ban on 700 generic drugs is likely to be around USD 1.2 billion.