Pharma firms offer sops to woo African countries

NEW DELHI: Leading pharmaceutical firms of the country are coming together to offer support to the government, in negotiating the provisions on compulsory licensing at Geneva WTO meet in December.
Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance, a body of pharma majors, has written to Brajesh Mishra, principal secretary to PM and Arun Shourie, disinvestment minister with additional charge of trade and commerce, saying, pharma firms are willing to transfer technology and assist least developed countries (mainly African nations) to develop their own drug industry.
The objective is to take African nations, who have broken away from the developing country group (India, Brazil, china and others) into confidence.
According to industry sources, these nations have defected under the pressure from the US and EU. The African nations were told by the US and EU that Indian pharma industry is only interested in exporting medicines and have no intention to develop local manufacturing facilities and transfer technology, which, according to IPA, is not true.
Indian firms are willing to invest and assist African nations in developing bulk drug manufacturing facilities, making generic drugs and training people.
The goal is to create a better bargaining platform for the government at WTO by convincing African countries that Indian pharma industry is also willing to develop pharma sector there, a senior official of a pharma firm said.
IPA has also shot off a similar letter to some missions of the African group in Geneva, saying, pharma industry is also willing to offer financial assistance to African students for medical education in India and train chemists of their countries here.