Centre to address pharma industry's challenges: Gowda

Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers D V Sadananda Gowda on Thursday said he will meet leaders of pharmaceutical and medical devices industry to discuss policy and challenges facing the industry.

As part the government's efforts to provide affordable quality healthcare, the Centre has already given approval to 100% FDI under automatic route for manufacturing of medical devices, the minister said while addressing the media during a curtain raiser for 'India Pharma 2019 & India Medical Device 2019,' here.

The government will bring transparency in the sector and will also address the problems faced by the industry he said.

The Department of Pharmaceuticals, under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers, along with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, is organising the fourth International Conference on Pharmaceutical & Medical Devices sector on February 18 and 19 in Bengaluru.

Seeking to address concerns of the industry over various issues, including price control, the minister said the event would provide an opportunity to discuss government policy and challenges facing the industry.

The theme for India Pharma 2019 is 'Enabling Quality Affordable Healthcare' and that of India Medical Device 2019 is 'Med-Tech India: Gearing up for Ayushman Bharat.'