Drug makers upset over 10-fold hike in licence fee

Ambika Sharma

Tribune News Service

Solan, February 13

Pharmaceutical manufacturers have expressed resentment over the 10-fold hike in the licence fee. They said it would impinge on the cost of medicines and should be withdrawn. 

The manufacturers want a special economic package for making active pharmaceutical ingredients in view of the country's over-dependence on imports from China.

At a one-day Northern India Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Conclave in Baddi on Friday, RC Juneja, chairman, Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers, said the increasing dependence of the manufacturers on China was a cause for concern and the government should encourage domestic manufacturers by extending economic benefits.

The pending issue of discontinuing the use of plastic pet bottles and replacing them with glass bottles for packing also echoed in the meeting where manufacturers said the government should desist from replacing the plastic bottles for packaging. Juneja said this would lead to crisis as the cost of packaging would go up, making medicines costlier. He said the government should not take any hasty step and consult them before taking any decision.

Other issues like granting approval for various fixed dose combinations uniformly to all manufacturers in all states was also deliberated upon at length. They also welcomed the state government's move to promote Baddi as a bulk drug hub as it would draw investments in the sector.