Indian API makers to take on the China challenges

India reportedly imported active pharma   Ingredient’s  and drug intermediates a rise of about 58% . China was one of the major exporters of APIs and intermediates into India. The rapid rise in imports of APIs from China in the last few years is raising a major concern among Indian API manufacturers., It is of major concern as competition has increased and market for Indian manufacturers has become unhealthy in many APIs.

China has overtaken India as the main of source of APIs due to planned and sustained support from its Government in terms of infrastructure, subsidies, cheap power, transportation, dedicated capacities in voluminous manufacturing, effluent treatment facilities, industry-friendly labour laws etc. Such sustained mega growth can also be replicated in India with whole-hearted support from our Government on all these fronts.

Rising production cost and increasing pressure on margins are forcing Indian formulations to low-cost imports from China. “Generally, business will follow the economics of demand and supply, especially supply of APIs at absurdly low prices, almost tantamount to dumping. Again intermediates also need to be imported as the cost of procuring or manufacturing within India is very high and this leads to comparatively higher costs of APIs produced in india.

PHARMA - Mastered the art of serving the lower part of the income pyramid profitably

            ·         Mass-market techniques to deliver complex services

So focusing on the masses isn’t proving any easier than focusing on the affluent elite who can pay for costly new medicines. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to make a profit in the growth markets. On the contrary, there’s much pharma can learn from the most innovative organisations.

·         Designing products for people in the lower part of the income pyramid 

           

When Ratan Tata decided to develop a car for India’s urban masses,

 he started with a question: how to produce an affordable – and better – mode of transport for people who normally used motorbikes. The result was the $2,500 Nano, a fuel-efficient vehicle that seats four passengers but comes without expensive frills.

·         Mass-market techniques to deliver complex services

Dr Devi Shetty has perfected the science of high-volume heart surgery. At Narayana Hrudayalaya Hospital, in Bangalore, India,  42 surgeons – each specialising in a single procedure perform some 600 operations a week. Dr Shetty charges about $1,500 per operation. Yet his profit margins are higher than those of the typical US hospital, and his quality as good.

Eye-hospital chain Aravind has also used assembly-line techniques to deliver healthcare. It performs about 350,000 operations a year and its operating rooms have at least two beds, so that surgeons can swivel from one patient to the next.

·         Pooling resources for different purposes

When Simon Berry, founder of British charity Colalife, wanted to distribute anti-diarrhoea products in the developing world, he had a brainwave: Coke gets everywhere aid doesn’t, so why not pack the crates with medicines? Colalife designed a wedge-shaped container that fits between rows of Coke bottles and is now piggybacking on Coca-Cola’s distribution network.

Anticipate that, by 2020, the biggest pharma companies will be pooling resources with health insurers and community care providers in the growth markets to stimulate demand for their products. They’ll also be participating in cross-industry transportation networks to reduce their distribution costs.

ANTIBOITIC AWARNESS IN DAY LIFE

What is the problem?

Antibiotic resistance is an everyday problem in all hospitals . The spread of resistant bacteria in hospitals is a major issue for patients' safety.

• Infections with antibiotic-resistant bacteria increase levels of disease and death, as well as the length of time people stay in hospitals.
• Inappropriate use of antibiotics may increasingly cause patients to become colonised or infected with resistant bacteria.
• Few new antibiotics are being developed. As resistance in bacteria grows, it will become more difficult to treat infection, and this affects patient care. 

What is causing this problem?

Inappropriate use and prescribing of antibiotics is causing the development of resistance. 

Inappropriate use includes:

• not completing a course of antibiotics as prescribed
• skipping doses of antibiotics
• not taking antibiotics at regular intervals
• saving some for later

Inappropriate prescribing includes:

• unnecessary prescription of antibiotics
• unsuitable use of broad-spectrum antibiotics
• wrong selection of antibiotics and inappropriate duration or dose of antibiotics

How can the problem be addressed?

Make antibiotic prescribing a strategic priority in hospitals by:

• targeting antibiotic therapy
• implementing structured antimicrobial stewardship plans
• reviewing local surveillance and assessing microbiological data

Chemical compounds - Daily life

There are thousands of compounds we use in our daily lives. Most if these are ingredients formulated into various products. However, there are quite a number of household products that are relatively PURE compounds or solutions of these:

·         Baking powder (sodium hydrogen carbonate; NaHCO3) -  Used in cooking

·         Table salt (sodium chloride, NaCl)  - Used in cooking

·         Table sugar (sucrose; C12H22O11)  - Used in cooking

·         Household bleach (sodium hypochlorite; NaOCl)  - Used in cleaning

·         Mouthwash (hydrogen peroxide, H2O2)  - Personal hygiene.

·         Washing soda (sodium carbonate decahydrate; Na2CO3.10H2O)  - Used in cleaning.

·         Artificial sweetener (saccharin; C7H5NO3S)  - Used in cooking and food preparation.

·         Nail varnish remover (Acetone, propan-2-one; CH3COCH3)  - Used as a cosmetic aid.

·         Natural gas (methane; CH4)  - Used in heating.

·         Lemon juice (citric acid; C6H8O7)  - Used in cooking and food preparation.

·         Asprin (acetyl salicylic acid; C9H8O4) - Used as a medicine.

·         Vodka (ethyl alcohol; C2H5OH)  -Used for entertainment & formulating other products.

·         Concrete cleaner (hydrochloric acid; HCl) - Used in cleaning.

·         Drain cleaner, lye (sodium hydroxide, NaOH) - Used in cleaning.

·         Toilet cleaner (sodium hydrogen sulphate, NaHSO4) - Used in cleaning.

·         Vitamin C (ascorbic acid; C6H8O6)  - Used for health.