INDIAN GOVERNMENT TO PROMOTE VACCINE INDUSTRY

The Indian government is considering setting up a vaccine manufacturers council in the country in order to promote the manufacture and export of vaccines. The new council will provide funding for research and development in the industry, and will help to improve the regulatory environment as well as manufacturing standards.

The Indian vaccine industry is worth around INR10bn (US$229.73mn) and comprises 22 local and international manufacturers. Vaccine production accounts for an estimated 40% of the biotechnology industry in India, and is growing at a rate of 15% per year. This rapid growth has been fuelled by a decline in vaccine production in developed countries over the last 10 years. In many developed countries the manufacture of vaccines has become unprofitable due to a reduction in prices and greater competition for markets in the developing world.

In India, vaccine producers suffer from a limited product range and lack of innovation, both issues that the proposed vaccine council will aim to address. The industry has developed significantly since the Expanded Programme for Immunisation (EPI) was introduced in 1978, with the aim of eradicating a number of treatable diseases in children. Industry players are now calling for further government initiatives to be introduced.