Booster dose for pharma as Govt okays refund on foreign plant inspection

Commerce Ministry raises cap to Rs 2 crore a year per drug exporter from Rs 50 lakh under MAI scheme; 50% of costs incurred towards statutory compliance to be borne by firm

Pharmaceutical companies can now claim reimbursement of costs incurred on plant inspections conducted periodically by overseas regulatory agencies. 

The Union Commerce Ministry has revised the Market Access Initiative Scheme (MAI Scheme) along with guidelines related to reimbursement of expenditure incurred by Indian exporters on statutory compliance in the buyer country, while including additional components, besides raising the fund limit.

The Ministry has added plant inspection charges for pharmaceutical products as eligible for funding assistance under MAI, and has raised the ceiling to Rs 2 crore a year per exporter from the present Rs 50 lakh. According to the new guidelines, any exporting