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Medical Device Industry Welcomes Task
Force’s Recommendations
Welcoming Centre’s forward-looking recommendations for the
industry, Association of Indian Medical Device Industry (AIMED) expressed relief
that it will facilitate creation of vibrant eco-system for domestic
manufacturing of medical device in the country. The association also pointed out
that prompt and efficient implementation of the same can also help in reducing
humungous import dependency in this sector, to aid India turn net exporter
within a few years time.
Ananth Kumar, Union minister for chemicals and fertilizers,
had on Wednesday released the recomendations of the Task Force on medical
devices industry. It is understood that the said recommendations has given due
weightage to the long standing demands of the industry regarding financial
support to manufacturing units, reversal of inverted duty structure, MRP based
taxation system, etc.
The highlight of the recommendations, according to industry
experts is the decision to create separate department and law book for medical
devices, to give the required push for medical device manufacturing in the
country.
Rajiv Nath, forum coordinator of AIMED said, “We are very
enthused by the recommendations of the task force on medical device industry as
it sets a clear and definite road map for the industry. However, all said and
done, these recommendations need to be supplemented with additional measures to
fully realize the vision of ‘make in India’ and to become factory of the world.”
He pointed that along with zero duty on raw materials, duty
on finished imported goods also needs to be raised to maximum level to
dis-incentivise imports and attract foreign investments in Indian manufacturing.
While on the creation of new law book and rules for medical devices, Nath
stressed that there must be an altogether new Act for medical devices rather
than a new chapter being added to the existing Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.
Industry strongly feels that that the new legislation must
also ensure that traders and pseudo manufacturers are not permitted to pass-off
as manufacturer. Sources emphasized that there must be separate departments for
medical devices and pharmaceuticals working under the same ministry which could
be called Ministry of Life Sciences or Ministry of Healthcare Products. Also
that both departments should be under one coordinating minister to ensure faster
decision making.
Welcoming task force’s recommendation to have a new medical
device parks, Nath pointed out that it was equally important that government
invests in strengthening the infrastructure facilities at existing industrial
parks. He expressed hope that government would go extra mile to see that task
force recommendations are implemented at the earliest.
Suja Nair Shirodkar
Saturday, April 11,2015,08:00 Hrs [IST]
(Ref :
http://www.pharmabiz.com/NewsDetails.aspx?aid=87704&sid=1).
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