Experts ask India to lead R&D in rare disease drugs
Import of drugs for those is not possible because of the huge cost of medicines
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2014-09-19 02:04 GMT
Hyderabad: Drug industry experts have called upon the Indian government to frame a policy on rare diseases to provide cure for 10 crore people suffering from them. Mr Ramaiah Muthyala, associate professor at University of Minnesota said, “The economic burden for curing rare disease is unbearable and since there is no market for drugs for rare disease in India, it just aggravates the situation”.
“Though there are opportunities for manufacturers of drugs for rare diseases in India as they are eligible for receiving funds through the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under the Orphan Drug Act 1983 which provides tax benefits of up to 50 per cent on clinical trials,” Mr Muthyala said, speaking on the sidelines of the 10th annual meet of Pharmexcil, India’s export promotion council.
There are no manufacturers for rare diseases in India and the import of drugs for those is not possible because of the huge cost of medicines. Resultantly, many children die before the age of four or ten, Mr Muthyala noted. Till now, 190 orphan drug producers have received approval from the US FDA and they have become top sellers like Rituximab, Ranibizumab.