India’s biggest Annual Conference on Pharma Industry and Medical Devices – India Pharma 2018 and India Medical Device 2018 – begins at Bengaluru

Bengaluru: “Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme announced by the Government, popularly called as ‘Namo-Care’, has the potential to turn India into the largest pharma manufacturer of the world in about three years”, Union Minister of Chemicals & Fertilizers and Parliamentary Affairs, Shri Ananthkumar, said while inaugurating the third edition of India Pharma 2018 and India Medical Device 2018, International conference and exhibition in Bengaluru today. The three-day event is being organized by Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP), Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, in collaboration with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). India Pharma & India Medical Device Awards were announced at the event to honour excellence and innovation in the field of pharmaceuticals and medical devices.

Addressing the distinguished gathering industry stalwarts and international drug regulators, Shri Ananthkumar said that Ayushman Bharat will lay down an ambitious framework for Universal Health Coverage by giving assured Affordable and Quality health cover of Rs. 5 lakh per annum to about 50 crore poorest of people in India. The Government will start rolling out Namo-Care in the next three months with the same speed and efficiency as highly successful initiatives like Mudra Yojana, Ujjwala Yojana, UjalaYojana and neem coating of urea.” With this ‘Giga Health Reform’, the Government expects the $65 billion Pharma and $12 billion Medical Devices industry to double in next five years. “Can we produce affordable pharma products and medical devices of global standards? That is the real challenge”, the Minister added.

Shri Ananthkumar added by saying, “Namo-Care cannot be effectively implemented in the currently fragmented ecosystem of the pharma industry. The Government accordingly intends to come up with a New Pharma Policy which will unify and synergize its various components of Pharma and medical devices sectors, such as Drug Price Control Order (DPCO), manufacturing, R&D, financing, quality control, drug control, price control and medical devices. The pharma and medical devices industry has to take up the Namo-Care challenge in coordination with the Make in India initiative of the Government to ensure 360 degree Health Security for All. I have given it the ‘3A formula’ – Availability, Authenticity and Affordability – without compromising upon the Quality”, the Minister added.

The event saw a roundtable session of pharma and medical devices CEOs with Shri Ananthkumar, to discuss Government policy and challenges facing the industry. The Minister informed that during the interaction the CEOs have been exhorted to partner with the Government to find joint solutions for challenges facing the pharma and medical devices sector and ensure ‘Affordable and Quality Healthcare for All’ in the country, which is the theme of this conference.

Addressing the audience, Minister of State for Chemicals & Fertilizers , Road Transport and Highways , Shipping , Shri Mansukh L. Mandaviya, said that rapid growth in the pharma industry, especially in bulk drugs and APIs, is essential to ensure availability, accessibility and affordability of medicines for the masses. The Minister said that Government of India has been taking steps to ensure affordable and quality health care for all, like over 3150 Pradhan Mantri Janaushadhi Kendras being made functional across the country; 100% FDI in Greenfield projects and 75% in Brownfield projects in Pharma sector have been permitted through automatic route; transforming NIPERs into Innovation Hubs to promote R&D in pharma sector, inter alia, to serve the last man in the society, the Minister said.

A host of dignitaries were present at the inaugural ceremony of the event, including Shri Jai Priye Prakash, Secretary DoP, Shri Suddhansh Pant, JS DoP, along with senior officers of the Ministry and stalwarts of the pharma and medical devices industry and government officials from India and abroad. Hundreds of delegates, including 50 Hosted Delegates from other nations and over 10,000 business visitors, are attending the event. Over 300 companies and 50 start-ups are showcasing their products. More than 90 eminent industry leaders would speak at various sessions spread over three days.

Over 20 international drug and device regulators are set to meet with Indian regulators at the venue. Ministerial delegations from CIS and BIMSTEC countries are also attending the event. A key highlight of India Pharma & India Medical Device 2018 is a workshop by World Health Organization on “Regulatory System Strengthening and Prequalification updated by WHO.” A conference will also be organized by NASSCOM on “Digital Transformation through Innovation in Pharmaceutical, Medical Devices and Healthcare Industries.”

Themed around ‘Affordable, Quality Healthcare,’the three day conference has back to back sessions to discuss topics like Discovering Innovative Medicines in India; Making India a Part of Global Supply Chain in Medical Devices; Opportunities, Challenges and Regulatory Requirements in the Development of Biologics; Opportunities & Challenges for Stem cells & Regenerative Medicine; Emerging Global Trends in Self Care and Relevance of OTC Regulatory Framework for Indian Public Healthcare System; aSub-sectoral Approach to Make in India; and Moving towards API Self Sufficiency.