Indian drug discovery : an ecosystem. And green shoots.

It's been a while since I put those long-form writing skills to work, and whatever you may think about the result, I really enjoyed myself. A few weeks ago, Shaastra, a new science and technology magazine by IIT Madras published my piece on emerging new drug discovery start-ups in India in the May-June issue, their …

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Is India Pharma turning to exports because of price control?

The Financial Express published an infographic today that showed that the Indian pharma industry's turnover from exports was up to 65.8 per cent in FY16 from 57.1 per cent in FY11. The newspaper was quick to lay this at the door of enhanced government price controls though the graphic itself proved no such thing. The …

Why the government wants to cap trade margins on drugs and why it shouldn’t

The abnormally high margin that trade channels are believed to earn on a relatively small portion of the Indian pharmaceutical market has become the latest painpoint for the central government. The  margins in question even cross 1000 per cent in some cases, according to a new report by a committee set up by the Department …

Guest column : The ‘sin’ that led to an #FDA inspection #pharma #quality

You can imagine the trepidation of a pharmaceutical company when the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) comes calling. Given the demanding nature of inspections, recent enforcement actions and the public scrutiny that each warning letter is subjected to, even a battle-ready manufacturing site with the most stouthearted management can't help but feel a ripple …

India #Pharma 2014 : A quick look back. Part Three #pricing #nppa

The holiday season approaches, so here’s a quick look at the year that was for Indian Pharma, before we disappear into a haze of year-end festivities. It’s a mixed bag (what year isn’t?) including stuff that could influence the way things work in the years ahead. For convenience, I’ve divided up what I think are …

India #Pharma 2014 : A quick look back. Part Two #clinicaltrials #pharmacovigilance

The holiday season approaches, so here’s a quick look at the year that was for Indian Pharma, before we disappear into a haze of year-end festivities. It’s a mixed bag (what year isn’t?) including stuff that could influence the way things work in the years ahead. For convenience, I’ve divided up what I think are …

India #Pharma 2014 : A quick look back – Part One #quality

The holiday season approaches, so here's a quick look at the year that was for Indian Pharma, before we disappear into a haze of year-end festivities. It's a mixed bag (what year isn't?) including stuff that could influence the way things work in the years ahead. For convenience, I've divided up what I think are …

India’s logic-defying drug pricing moves : My column in Quartz India

Just when I thought things were getting a bit dull, they go and do this.

Indian #pharma policy : Missing the wood for the trees

The latest round of price interventions imposed on the drug industry by India's National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has the industry fulminating. Just when it was recovering from being all but snubbed in the Union Budget, it finds that the NPPA has quietly pulled the rug from under its feet leaving it sprawled on the …

Stop tinkering with FDI norms : my column in the Indian Express

Today's edition of the Indian Express has an edit piece that I have authored on why the government should stop repeatedly tinkering with India's foreign direct investment (FDI) policy for pharmaceuticals. In this piece I have argued that there is no connection between the availability of essential medicines and the FDI policy and that this …