New Delhi: The government is contemplating ways to encourage domestic manufacturing of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) to counter a potential shortage of bulk drugs and intermediates amid the Covid-19 outbreak. They discussed ways to reduce import dependence on China for bulk drugs or intermediates.The idea is to build API production capacity for 58 APIs, for which India is significantly dependent on China. The list has been compiled by the drug regulatory authority and contains antibiotics like azithromycin, amoxicillin, ofloxacin, metronidazole, vitamins such as B12, B1, B6 and E, female hormone progesterone and anticardiac arrest drug atorvastatin, among others.“It is a good development. The government is willing to support the API industry. “The government wants to build and revive the industry, build capacity and expedite environmental clearances,” said Sudarshan Jain, secretary general, Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance Officials at the meeting with Kant were told to keep a watch on resumption of production, logistics, employees on duty and affected sites in China.

Source: Economic Times February 20, 2020 02:26 UTC