Indore: Madhya Pradesh Small Scale Drug Manufacturers’ Association on Sunday alleged that multi-national drug manufacturing companies often defame small scale drug manufacturers for producing poor quality of drugs. But this is not true.
“Big companies defame us through false publicity to say that small scale manufacturers make poor quality drugs. But the fact is that they get it manufactured from us and give their company’s name,” association general secretary Amit Chawla said while addressing a programme organised in city on Sunday to discuss problems of small scale drug manufacturers in Madhya Pradesh.
The association also submitted a memorandum to health minister Tulsi Silawat, which highlighted the problems they face in the business.
“Large numbers of small scale drug manufacturing units are on verge of closure due to bad policies of state government. In 1990, there were about 400-500 small scale drug manufacturers in Indore and about 650 in state. Now, 70-75 units are left,” Chawla said.
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He said another reason behind downfall of drug manufacturers is the relief provided by central government in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh in 2005 due to which companies in other states ran out of competition.
“The government has revised Schedule M to improve quality. This has imposed financial burden of Rs 50 lakh to Rs 2 crore on manufacturers.
Moreover, the state government had made it mandatory for all units to have World Health Organisation’s Good Manufacturing’s Unit (WHO-GMP) acknowledgement and Certificate of Pharmaceutical Product (COPP), which is not necessary in other states,” Association member Dr Darshan Kataria said.
Association alleged that other states are providing relief to the manufacturers from turnover condition and from the certificates as manufacturers are bound to take only one certificate and the turnover varies from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 10 crore.
Will fix meeting with CM: Health minister
After listening to problems of drug manufacturers, health minister Tulsi Silawat assured them to fix their meeting with chief minister Kamal Nath and to take necessary steps to revive the industry. “We will take all necessary steps and will ensure removing all unnecessary conditions for the unit,” he added.
