KARACHI: Pakistan’s pharmaceutical export stands at $200 million per annum against India’s export of $ 15 billion. Pakistan’s annual sales of pharmaceutical are $2.5bn while India’s sales have touched $15bn.

US is at the top with sales of $354 billion per annum followed by Japan and China $82bn each, Canada $20bn and Australia and New Zealand $13bn each.

Germany has the highest sales in Europe with $45bn followed by France’s $37bn, Italy’s $28bn, Spain’s $21bn and UK’s $23bn.

Brazil’s sales are $22 billion as compared to Mexico’s $7bn and Argentina’s $5bn.

Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers’ Association (PPMA) Chairman Saeed Allawala told Dawn that India is leading in pharmaceutical exports as compared to its competitors Pakistan, Turkey, Thailand and Bangladesh.

He said India plans to achieve $45 billion export under its Vision 2025, while Turkey is looking forward to achieve $7.3 billion mark under its Vision 2023.

He attributed India’s success in export market to reduce approval time for new facilities, allowing 100 per cent FDI under automatic route, focus on specialised pharma education and NOC for export licence issued in two weeks compared to 12 weeks earlier.

He said India plans to set up $640 million venture capital fund to boost drug discovery and strengthen pharma structure followed by market access initiative scheme and marketing development assistance. Other plans under its vision included MoUs with USFDA, WHO, Health Canada, etc.

Saeed said Turkey is supporting small and medium units, providing necessary support to increase volume of production and increasing variety of R&D financing resources to encourage and support an increase in life sciences R&D.

He said Malaysia rolled out new projects worth $300 million followed by various incentives and policies aimed at attracting pharmaceutical companies to set up manufacturing facilities.

Presenting a case for Pakistan to close the performance gap with counterparts, he demanded of the government to constitute a task force under the chairmanship of prime minister to boost medicine exports to $5billion in 10 years. The PPMA has also adopted a “Vision-2025”.

The task force proposed for the purpose should comprise representatives of TDAP, DRAP, and PPMA.

Under the same vision, the PPMA plans to establish at least 10 FDA (US Food and Drug Administration)-accredited medicines’ manufacturing units in Pakistan dedicated to export.

It demanded launching of one-window operations in Karachi, Lahore, and Islamabad, where under one roof officials of TDAP, DRAP, and other authorities issue all documents required for medicine export.

The association also wants resolution of all problems in issuance of documents required by pharma manufacturers for export of their produce.

It also demands that period of one year required for getting registrations for medicines’ exports should also be reduced for facilitation of Pakistani pharma companies.

Pakistanis medicines due to lack of mandatory international certifications at present could only be exported to under-developed countries having semi-regulated pharmaceutical markets mainly in Central Asian, African, Far Eastern and South American regions.

The PPMA demands a feasible export regime for Pakistani pharma industry on the lines of India where pharmaceutical development fund was established under the export council for provision of loans to drug manufacturing units for 10 years on highly subsidized rates.

Financial support so extended by the government would be used for raising standard of industry, securing international certifications, and paying off high salaries to sales representatives, which used to promote Pakistani medicines in foreign markets.

Published in Dawn, May 17th, 2015

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