Covid: Indian Device-Makers 'Response More Potent Than Drug Firms'

The former set has been at forefront of the fight unlike the latter lot, which has been subdued

- Pt Jyothi Datta

It is not without reason that the Indian pharmaceutical industry was called “pharmacy to the world”.

The voice from India was often heard on the international stage campaigning for public health. Hark back to the World Trade Organization ministerial conference at Doha (2001), where India played a role in securing a landmark declaration on public health that allowed countries to act in the interest of citizens.

The same year, Indian drugmaker Cipla offered to supply HIV/AIDS drugs at a dollar a day in Africa, another game changer on access. In fact, many Indian drugmakers have been at the forefront of supplying less expensive medicines to several countries, touching patient lives across the world.

In comparison, the response to the pandemic novel coronavirus (Covid-19) has been rather mellow, to put it mildly. Industry watchers are struck by the relative silence from the Indian pharmaceutical industry, when they should have been out there, instilling confidence on supplying the required medicines, both locally and abroad, if need be. Only Serum Institute and Zydus Cadila (working on vaccines to tackle the virus) and less-known companies like Lasa Supergenerics (working on anti-viral Favi piravir) have shown the enterprise of yore.