IPA Chief Reddy: Coronavirus API Supply Impact A ‘Big Wake Up Call’ For India

Satish Reddy, president of the Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance and chair of Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, tells Scrip in an interview that the government and domestic industry have to act promptly, and in tandem, to regain India’s glory days of dominance in active pharmaceutical ingredients and avoid a public health problem.

Reddy_Satish
Satish Reddy, President, Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance & Chair, Dr Reddy's Laboratories

The writing has been on the wall for several years now and the coronavirus situation has only highlighted what several industry veterans have long been saying – India’s dependence on China for active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), intermediates and key starting materials is far too unhealthy for its own medicines security.

The country now accounts for an estimated 65-70% of total imports of APIs and intermediates into India.

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