The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : `Drug companies should fund research in private institutions'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Sep 02, 2006

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

`Drug companies should fund research in private institutions'

Staff Reporter

Centre promoting private-public partnership in pharmaceutical sector: Rajasekharan

HONOURED: Union Minister of State for Planning M.V. Rajasekharan presenting the APTI Annual National Convention Award to S.S. Kadam in Bangalore on Friday. — Photo: Sampath Kumar G.P.

Bangalore: Private pharmaceutical companies should fund research and development activities in premier institutions to promote discovery of new drugs, M.V. Rajasekharan, Union Minister of State for Planning, said here on Friday.

Speaking after inaugurating the 11th Annual National Convention of the Association of Pharmaceutical Teachers of India (APTI) here, Mr. Rajasekharan said in keeping with the World Trade Organisation guidelines, the Central Government had adopted a new drug regime and was promoting private-public partnership in the pharmaceutical sector.

"Indian pharmaceutical companies should move away from imitation to innovation and take up research for drug discovery," he said.

He said that new and cost-effective drugs were needed for treating poor patients in India, who were affected by various diseases, including chikungunya.

However, he said that Bangalore, which was the knowledge capital of the country, had contributed immensely in not just the IT sector but also in biotechnology.

"We are proud of our Narayana Murthy, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw and Azim Premji," Mr. Rajasekharan said.

The Minister pointed out that even though globalisation had ushered in many changes in the pharmaceutical sector, a lot needed to be done to improve the standard of pharmaceutical education in the country.

"There is still a dearth of pharmacists in rural areas and this needs to be looked into. Pharmacists should not just remain traders but should be recognised as health care providers," he said.

V.I. Hukkeri, president of the association, said the pharmaceutical sector should look into the issue of access to essential drugs, including those for HIV/AIDS, heart disease and other ailments.

Various awards were presented at the programme.

The APTI Annual National Convention Award was given to S.S. Kadam; the APTI-Sri Bhojraj Panjamool Life Time Achievement award to V.M. Reddy; Dr. Manjushree Pal Memorial Award for Best Pharmaceutical Scientist went to D.R. Krishna; Principal of the Year Award to P.G. Yole; Pharmacy Teacher of the Year Award to Y. Madhusudan Rao and Young Pharmacy Teacher of the Year Award to D. Sriram.

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