India put the kibosh on exports of Gilead Sciences' remdesivir as the country grapples with increased demand and a spike in COVID-19 infections. Meanwhile, local drugmakers want to produce the antiviral off-license to shore up supply, Times of India reports.
DCGI urged to not accept data from “discredited test” for depression drugs
March 07, 2021
Large pharma companies have abandoned the “forced swim test” for mood disorder drugs
A “near drowning” test that uses small animals in the testing for depression and mood disorder drugs has come in for criticism, with pro-animal groups approaching the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI). The test that has been stopped by some international pharmaceutical companies.
In fact, the DCGI is said to have sought responses from three pharmaceutical associations on a representation from the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) on the “forced swim test” (FST).
The pharma and healthcare industry has welcomed the government s decision to increase allocation for the sector, saying the move will provide greater access to medical care in the country. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday proposed Rs 2,23,846 crore budget outlay for health and wellbeing for 2021-22, compared to Rs 94,452 crore in the current fiscal, an increase of 137 per cent. She also proposed Rs 35,000 crore outlay for COVID-19 vaccines for the next fiscal and announced the rollout of pneumococcal vaccines across the country to help save over 50,000 deaths annually. The hike of 137 per cent in budgetary outlays towards the healthcare sector is a welcome move. As the country continues to grapple with the pandemic, the outlay of Rs 35,000 crore towards vaccination will go a long way to stop the spread of COVID-19, Zydus Cadila Chairman Pankaj R Patel said in a statement.
Updated Jan 24, 2021 | 18:19 IST
MTaI Chairman and Director General Pavan Choudary said respecting the PM’s appeal to save livelihood, the MedTech industry strived to protect jobs even in this inclement weather. COVID-19 pandemic underlined need for higher budget allocation for healthcare sector | Photo Credit: BCCL
New Delhi: The COVID-19 pandemic has emphasised the key role of healthcare in the lives of people, underlining the importance of higher budget allocation for improving the healthcare infrastructure in the country, sectoral players said.
The pharma sector which has played a leading role as the ‘pharmacy of the world’ said it expects support and incentives especially for research & development and innovation in the coming budget.
India to play vital role in equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines around the world: Pharma industry financialexpress.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from financialexpress.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.