Indian Pharma Companies ramping production of HCQ Medicines to meet demand
According to sources assuring that the country has an adequate supply of the anti-malaria tablets 'Hydroxychloroquine' for both domestic and export demand along with other key medicines, the indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA) on sunday said that pharma companies are ramping up production of the key medicines to meet demand. In a statement, the industry body applauded the government's decision to remove restrictions on the export of the pharma products and said that it is in line with India's image as the "pharmacy of the world".
It said "The decision to withdraw restrictions on 12 products and export Hydroxychloroquine is a reflection of India's commitment to supply medicines at this critical time. IPA lauds the government of Indiaa¿s positive move and is in line with the image of india as the pharmacy of the world". It added "We have adequate manufacturing capacity, today, in the country and have sufficient supply to meet both domestic and export demand. Zydus Cadila and IPCA are the major manufacturers of hydroxychloroquine in the country. The companies are ramping up production to ensure an uninterrupted supply for domestic and export market".
On march 25, india had banned the export of Hydroxychloroquine. However, on april 6, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) notified the lifting of restrictions on 14 drugs, including Hydroxychloroquine. Moreover it also said that as indian is a major exporter of pharma products to over 200 countries, the indian government's position of international solidarity and cooperation is vital to deal with the COVID situation. The pharma body also said that it is committed to providing quality medicines to patients in india and globally, particularly to those countries that are severely affected by the pandemic.