Govt allows import of life-saving drugs from India

[jha]

Pakistan will allow the import of life-saving drugs from India but only on the condition that the drugs are used for non-commercial purposes.

The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting held on November 23 and chaired by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

The cabinet authorised the commerce ministry to allow the import of such medicines on “a case-by-case basis”.


Previously, the prime minister’s approval was required for allowing the import of items listed on the ‘negative list’.

Officials said the cabinet was informed that several donor-funded health programmes were being run in Pakistan for eliminating various diseases.

The government, officials said, also received in kind support and donations from donors such as the Global Fund (GF) and Global Drug Facility (GDF) for running such programmes.

Most accredited anti-TB drugs, the government was informed, were being manufactured in India and many medicines of Indian origin were on the ‘negative list’ under the current import regime.

Earlier, securing permission for importing any item on the negative list was difficult because it required the approval of the prime minister after getting the concurrence of a high-level committee headed by the commerce minister. The attendance of the secretaries of commerce, industries and production and the FBR chairman was also required in the meeting.

The cabinet was urged to authorise the commerce ministry to allow non-commercial imports of medicines listed on the ‘negative list’ and third-party (such as WHO) donations from India on case-to-case basis.

It is learnt that when the proposal was submitted to the prime minister, he wanted it to be placed before the cabinet or the Economic Committee of the Cabinet since the proposal entailed a policy shift.

The ministries of industries and production, national health, service regulations and coordination divisions and FBR had supported the idea.

http://tribune.com.pk/story/1258027/govt-allows-import-life-saving-drugs-india/

Another import from India... Oops..

 

[That Guy]

That's fine. I see no problem with this, if it means saving lives, instead of taking them. India has a far better pharma industry than Pakistan does.

As for the little "another import from India" quip, Pakistan makes very little money from India. If anything, India is benefiting from Pakistan, far more than the other way around.

 

[marbella]

some of medicines containing even alcohol is allowed, being life saving..
so medicines from India should not be any problem

 

[Mo12]

Why cant Pakistan get the medicine from China instead?

 

[deckingraj]

That's fine. I see no problem with this, if it means saving lives, instead of taking them. India has a far better pharma industry than Pakistan does.

As for the little "another import from India" quip, Pakistan makes very little money from India. If anything, India is benefiting from Pakistan, far more than the other way around.

Yes...whatever trade we have it favors us...and that's why it is important to trade more...this is where the options of adjusting this trade deficit will come from...

 

[abc123xyx]

That's fine. I see no problem with this, if it means saving lives, instead of taking them. India has a far better pharma industry than Pakistan does.

As for the little "another import from India" quip, Pakistan makes very little money from India. If anything, India is benefiting from Pakistan, far more than the other way around.

pakistan import mainly cotton and medicines from india....

cotton , because of their textile industry which is also the main export industry of pakistan , and because pakistan can't get cotton from anywhere alse...

medicines , because indian medicies are mainly generic , which are cheap but equally effective compare to specilized drugs...very few states produce quality generic drugs because they have almost zero margin profit keep the true quality , pakistan can get madicines from china or west but they sell specilized salts which going to cost you 10 times to 1000 times more in price depending on the salt......
india do not make any money in selling these drugs , they are produce in india keeping in mind the overall health situation and exported just to keep the forex reserves ($)...

for example , a generic typhyd tablet cost 25 paisa and are given free at govt & charitable hospitals , but a specilized medicine at chemist shop might cost you up to 50 rs....

if you had read the article , it clearly says that pakistan is going to import medicines from india for non- commetcial purpose....thats means medicines for thier hospitals only , the generic one.

 

[STEVEN囧]

Why cant Pakistan get the medicine from China instead?

Because Chinese medicine is more expensive than India.I think you should know clearly of developing process of Indian medication.Anyway it is a good thing to the masses.

 

[Cookie Monster]

pakistan import mainly cotton and medicines from india....

cotton , because of their textile industry which is also the main export industry of pakistan , and because pakistan can't get cotton from anywhere alse...

There are other countries that export cotton and Pakistan can get it from them but it's cheapest to get it from India.

 

[Avijit]

No not really, please share the Indian process of developing medicines?

 

[padamchen]

That's fine. I see no problem with this, if it means saving lives, instead of taking them.

Do you see a problem between us saving your lives (medicines, hospitals, doctors) and you taking ours (Jihadis, army, Kasabs) ???

I see a major problem here.

 

[Kaniska]

Indian friends..Please do not turn this thread into chest thumping exercise...I believe, this is quite regular trade between 2 nations. Pakistan and India thought to get best deal for each other and they went for it...I hope that we will keep working with Pakistan in the field of trade and commerce in a saner manner.

 

[padamchen]

pakistan import mainly cotton and medicines from india....

cotton , because of their textile industry which is also the main export industry of pakistan , and because pakistan can't get cotton from anywhere alse...

medicines , because indian medicies are mainly generic , which are cheap but equally effective compare to specilized drugs...very few states produce quality generic drugs because they have almost zero margin profit keep the true quality , pakistan can get madicines from china or west but they sell specilized salts which going to cost you 10 times to 1000 times more in price depending on the salt......
india do not make any money in selling these drugs , they are produce in india keeping in mind the overall health situation and exported just to keep the forex reserves ($)...

for example , a generic typhyd tablet cost 25 paisa and are given free at govt & charitable hospitals , but a specilized medicine at chemist shop might cost you up to 50 rs....

if you had read the article , it clearly says that pakistan is going to import medicines from india for non- commetcial purpose....thats means medicines for thier hospitals only , the generic one.

You are speaking mainly of the generic pharma market and the small molecule sector.

We even do a large volume if business with Pakistan in the biotech sector for large molecules, vaccines, monoclonal, biologicals, biirecombinants, and bisimilars. In a few years from now, India will have its own Western registered biobetters (or generic plus as some like to call them).

The margins and economics here, as well as the complexities and supply volumes and IPR are very different here.

 

[krash]

Do you see a problem between us saving your lives (medicines, hospitals, doctors) and you taking ours (Jihadis, army, Kasabs) ???

I see a major problem here.

You do know that we would pay you in full. You aren't doing any Pakistani any favors. *Insert well known facts about Indian hand behind terrorism in Pakistan*

 

[Cookie Monster]

You do know that we would pay you in full. You aren't doing any Pakistani any favors. *Insert well known facts about Indian hand behind terrorism in Pakistan*

Good try reasoning with him but I doubt it'll change his mind. Indian logic goes like this:

Terrorism in India --> Pakistan is responsible
Terrorism in Pakistan --> Pakistan is responsible

 

[padamchen]

You do know that we would pay you in full. You aren't doing any Pakistani any favors. *Insert well known facts about Indian hand behind terrorism in Pakistan*

Do you think we cannot sell these medicines (for more) to 150 other countries in the world that we regularly export to?

Do you think we have a dearth of patients waiting for treatment and surgery at major hospitals across the country from neighbiuring countries? Do you know what our surgical roster wait lists look like? All paying.