Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA) has appreciated the government’s decision to issue fresh licenses, to different pharmaceutical companies, for production of new drugs.
Khawaja Javed, executive director of PPMA in a statement said steps taken by Ministry of National Health Regulation Services, viz-a-viz issuance of 47 new licences, was in the largest interest of the country’s pharmaceutical and healthcare industry.
“Manufacturing of new drugs would lead to investments and employment opportunities,” he said. Khawaja Javed said that PPMA had for long been demanding for formation of a drug licensing board, however, was ignored by the previous government leading to stagnant growth in the industry.
This also caused disappointment among investors, said the PPMA executive director.
He regretted that despite immense importance of pharmaceutical industry in the national growth of any country this was not extended needed attention in the local context.
“It was again at the cost of lives and health of people,” said PPMA official.
He mentioned there were 25,000 pharmaceutical manufacturing companies in India, while 500 such institutions in Pakistan, 22 of which are of foreign origin.
“Yet volume of our pharmaceutical export potential is worth Rs 300 billion at present, with a growth rate of 17 percent,” he said mentioning that Pakistan’s pharmaceutical industry currently ranks sixth in the world.
Khwaja Javed was hopeful that Saira Afzal Tarar, minister for
National Health Services, would also attend to all other pending issues of pharmaceutical industry on priority basis.
