Question : Research & Development

Will the Minister of CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS be pleased to state:

(a) the details of the expenditure incurred by the Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) in the Pharmaceutical sector on Research and Development (R&D) work as compared to private sector during each of the last two years;

(b) whether some of the above PSUs have been declared sick and closed down and if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the medicines produced by these PSUs are now being imported by spending foreign exchange; and

(d) if not, the alternative arrangements made by the Government for the availability of medicines in the country?

MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS, ROAD TRANSPORT & HIGHWAYS AND SHIPPING (SHRI MANSUKH L. MANDAVIYA)

(a) to (d) There are five Public Sector Undertakings functioning under the ageis of Department of Pharmaceuticals, namely, Karnataka Antibiotics and Pharamceuticals Ltd (KAPL), Indian Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Ltd (IDPL), Bengal Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals Ltd (BCPL), Rajasthan Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (RDPL) and Hindustan Antibiotics Ltd. (HAL). All these PSUs except KAPL, are sick/ loss making. The Government has decided for closure of IDPL and RDPL and strategic sale of BCPL and HAL. None of these Pharma PSUs is doing any basic research. Department does not maintain any records regarding expenditure incurred by private pharma companies on Research & Development.

The country is almost self-sufficient in case of formulations. The imports are being made on quality and economic considerations and not necessarily on account of non-availability from domestic sources. Manufactures of drugs and Pharmaceuticals are free to produce any drug approved by the Drug Control Authorities.
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