The Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA) has appreciated issuance of 47 licenses for new drugs to various pharma companies and welcomed the steps taken by Ministry of National Health Regulation Services.
In a statement issued here on Friday, PPMA Executive Director Khawaja Javed said the PPMA had been demanding for the formation of a drug licensing board but their demands fell on deaf ears as the previous government never paid heed to their pleas.
While expressing gratitude to the government on issuance of new licenses, Khawaja Javed said this was a positive step which would lead to investments and employment opportunities.
He also called for an end to conspiracies which were creating hurdles in the way of government agencies. While there were 25,000 pharmaceutical manufacturing companies in India, there were only 500 such institutions in Pakistan, 22 of which had foreign origin, he said. Volume of pharmaceutical export potential was worth 300 billion at present with a growth rate of 17 percent. Pakistan’s pharma industry currently ranks sixth in the world, he commented.
Javed said despite the importance of the pharma industry, the previous governments did not pay it much attention. He appealed to Saira Afzal Tarar, Minister for National Health Services, to take priority measures for improving the other long pending issues of pharma industry.
