India continues to lead as global vaccine supplier, generic drug manufacturer: Anupriya Patel

Speaking at the inaugural session of the Second Policymakers’ Forum organised by the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC), in the national capital, Patel noted that India is one of the largest suppliers to the World Health Organization (WHO) while it also exports generic medicines to the US.

This reaffirms India’s position as a valued and trusted partner in the realm of global health, said Patel.

“India continues to be a leading supplier of vaccines. As much as 70 per cent of WHO's total vaccines are sourced from India,” said Patel.

“India continues to be a leader in drug manufacturing, especially when it comes to generic medicines. And 14 per cent of generics imported by the US come from India while India also has the maximum number of US FDA (Food and Drug Administration) recognised drug manufacturing plants,” she added.

Patel noted that “70 per cent of our generics are exported to the highly regulated markets and our pharmacopeial regulations are regularly visited to meet the global benchmarks.”

She also highlighted how India supplied numerous vaccines to over 100 countries under the Vaccine Maitri initiative during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Patel also reiterated India’s commitment to ensure equitable access to quality-assured medicines for its citizens. A perfect example of affordable healthcare solutions is the Jan Aushadi Kendras, the MoS said.

“Our Jan Aushadhi Kendras are the shining examples of India’s commitment to providing quality and affordable medicines to all our citizens. Jan Aushadhi has been one of the most powerful instruments of bringing down the out-of-pocket expenditure of our citizens,” she added.

Aimed at promoting the recognition of the Indian Pharmacopoeia and collaboration in India’s flagship affordable medicines initiative -- the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) -- the Forum is being organised by the IPC under the aegis of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, in association with the Ministry of External Affairs.

This engagement builds on the momentum generated by the First Policymakers’ Forum held in August 2024, which resulted in several participating countries formally recognising the Indian Pharmacopoeia as a book of standards for drugs.

The growing international interest in aligning with India’s regulatory frameworks reflects the credibility and scientific rigour of the Indian Pharmacopoeia, as well as India’s proactive role in advancing global public health objectives.

Further, Patel stated that “India has retained the WHO’s Global Benchmarking Tool (GBT) framework, Maturity Level 3 (ML3) status which reflects the robustness of India's regulatory framework. Presently, 15 countries in the world recognise Indian Pharmacopeia as a book of standards for drugs, Cuba recently becoming the 15th country to recognise the Indian Pharmacopeia.”

“It is not just a regulatory step, but a move towards bringing more alignment in the quality standards, expanding access to safe and effective drugs, and making trade in pharmaceuticals smoother than ever before,” the MoS said.

Patel reaffirmed that “we are committed to helping our partner countries by way of communicating and planning” and “hope to continue to work together to advance the regulatory collaboration and promote the recognition of the pharmacopeial standards so that we can strive fast towards the shared goal of ‘Health for All’.”

The four-day event is expected to see participation of policymakers and senior drug regulatory officials from 22 countries who will contend on pharmacopeial standards, India’s regulatory landscape, and successful public health schemes.