Pharmaceutical Industry meets 95 percent of country’s needs

LAHORE – November 7 (ONLINE) Senior Vice Chairman of Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA) Nadeem Zafar said Monday the industry currently meets 95% of the country’s medicine requirements, country only imports 5 percent medicine based on new molecules and compounds and new research-based products. The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has allowed the import of finished products from China and India which is disastrous for the local pharmaceutical industry.

In a meeting with President Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Kashif Anwar, the PPMA leader said up to 90 percent of the pharmaceuticals that the European Union imports come from India. In addition, 80 percent of Indian companies have received FDA approval, and FDA has even opened an office there. He went on to say that only effective policies can save this industry because its export potential is unmatched by any other industry.

He continued by saying that Pakistan, which is Afghanistan’s neighbor, has the ability and potential to export drugs to Afghanistan while pharmaceuticals are already being exported from India to Afghanistan via Pakistan. Pakistani pharmaceutical businesses were unable to even change distributors in Afghanistan due to registration restrictions imposed by the former Afghan government, which allowed Indian companies to exporttheir goods to Afghanistan in large quantities.

LCCI President Kashif Anwar said that Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association is a very strong association of Pakistan and its role in policy making is very important. Lahore Chamber will raise its voice at all levels and forums for PPMA, said Kashif Anwar adding that a liaison committee of Lahore Chamber and PPMA will be formed and the voice of the pharmaceutical industry will be raised through consultation with the association.