Meet brings to fore opportunities in European pharma industry

By Our Corporate Bureau | 22 Sep 2003

Mumbai: The seventh Pharmaceuticals Analysts Convention, organised jointly by Indian Drug Manufacturers Association (IDMA) (www.idmaindia.com) and Indian Pharmaceutical Association (IPA), brought to light the various opportunities existing in the $102-billion European pharmaceutical industry.

The convention, which took place on 19 and 20 September, facilitated a better understanding of the International Conference on Harmonisation (ICH) guidelines, which will lead to its compliance within the industry. This will make it easier to obtain European approvals and enter the European market. Compliance with ICH guidelines will hold Indian companies on par with their global counterparts.

The convention was presided by eminent international speakers. They included:

  • Dr Agnes Artiges, director, European Pharmacopoeia Commission
  • Peter Castle, secretary, European Pharmacopoeia Commission
  • Corinne Pouget, principal scientific officer, head of certification unit, EDQM, Council of Europe
  • Dr Sultan Ghani, director, Bureau of Pharmaceutical Sciences Therapeutic Products Directorate, Health Canada.

Says IDMA general secretary Dara Patel: "The European market, which is predicted to be valued at $108.3 billion by 2007, holds immense prospects for the domestic Indian pharma industry especially in the product patent era. With low investment capacity in the ''discovery research'' sector the domestic Indian pharma industry can explore areas like contract manufacturing and process research and development in the European market."

The convention also discussed in detail the intricate issues involved in understanding the requirements for registration of medicines in the European Union. It also acquainted the participants with the intricacies of the European pharmacopoeia as well as the Indian pharmacopoeia.