New Delhi: Asserting that India has become the pharmacy of the world, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Friday said that Indian scientists need to strengthen their research in the pharmaceutical sector. "We have become the pharmacy of the world by specialising in generic medicine formulation and manufacturing and by supplying affordable medicine to the world.
But we still need to strengthen research in the pharmaceuticals sector," said Mandaviya while addressing Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC) conference 2022 in New Delhi. He said that till today, four countries including Afghanistan, Ghana, Nepal and Mauritius have accepted India's Pharmacopoeia. "We should make a roadmap and move forward so that more countries accept our pharmacopoeia," he said.
Also read: Centre to launch 'One Nation, One Dialysis' programme soon
Mandaviya said that pharmacopoeia is important to develop a "Swasthya and Samrudh Bharat", to maintain the standard quality of our medical products-vaccines, medicines, equipment etc and to keep an eye on the effect of these medicines on patients. Highlighting that India is the world's largest supplier of generic medication and accounts for 20 per cent of the worldwide supply of generics by volume, Mandaviya said that during the Covid-19 pandemic, India delivered accessible and affordable vaccines to 150 countries.
"While delivering vaccines and other generic medicines to so many countries, we have never compromised with the quality and standards or delivered sub-standard spurious drugs. India has earned global accolades as a result of this," said Mandaviya.
