Lok Sabha passes National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (Amendment) Bill, 2021

• Integrity Education, Delhi
• 07, Dec 2021

The Lok Sabha has passed the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (Amendment) Bill, 2021 this evening after a detailed discussion.

Health Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya said in his reply that the Government is taking all out efforts to make the country the pharma capital of the world. Pointing out the export of vaccines and medicines for Covid to over 80 countries, he said it is a proud moment for the nation. He noted that more than 40 percent of the generic medicines being made available in the US are made in India. He also said 60-percent of all vaccines in the world have been manufactured in India.

He also said the two product-linked incentives programmes that are being implemented have benefitted for the pharma industry a lot during the Covid times. He informed the House that the clinical trials of the DNA-based vaccine against Covid-19 have been completed and the manufacturing has begun. He said two more indigenous vaccines are undergoing clinical trials.

Dr Mandaviya said, with the amendments being brought by the Bill, the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research NIPER will be helping small pharma companies also in research. He said the Government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi has linked the nation’s development with health. He said the schemes like Ayushman Bharat and Jan Aushadi are part of the efforts to enhance health delivery.  

While introducing the Bill, Health Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya  said study of pharmacy has assumed huge importance and the bill would serve to encourage new institutes of higher learning on the subject in addition to the existing ones. He said two to three amendments to the original Act are being contemplated in the new bill.

Earlier, initiating the discussions, BJP MP Rajdeep Roy underlined the need for the proposed Amendments in the Bill. He said, over 12 thousand pharmaceutical institutions in the country need a boost in infrastructure. DMK MP Kalanidhi Veeraswamy said that India has enough talents to be on top in the global industry. However, he said, many NIPERs need adequate infrastructure and research laboratories. He suggested monetizing the patents by the companies to encourage them to invest more on research.

Prof. Saugata Ray of TMC appealed to the Government to encourage the Pharma scientists with recognition. NCP MP Supriya Sule appreciated the Government’s attention on the medical and health sectors. However, she appealed to enhance the infrastructure of existing NIPERs and encourage research. She said, many State governments are ready to work with the research institutions if the centre comes forward. Danish Ali of BSP asked to fix the responsibility on human trials by the MNCs in collaboration with certain Indian pharma companies. Shrirang Appa Barne of Shiv Sena, Dr. Sanjeev Kumar Singari of YSRCP, Dr. Alok Kumar Suman of JDU and P Ravindranath of AIADMK also spoke on the Bill.

Sources : News On Air