The Gujarat Food and Drug Control Administration (FDCA) has issued licenses to total 610 pharma companies between April 1, 2020 and February 9, 2021 which include 312 pharma companies, 23 medical oxygen companies including 35 allopathic sanitizer companies under the Drugs and Cosmetics (D&C) Act, 1940.The Gujarat FDCA had earlier approved licenses and layout plans of 240 pharma companies until 31st March, 2020.Gujarat today boasts of over 700 plus WHO-GMP units and 130 US FDA approved drug manufacturing units in the country. Gujarat also has the distinction of having 28 per cent of drug exports to developed markets including the US. The Gujarat pharmaceutical industry is also upbeat as around 900 out of 1,100 plants had started operations in the state despite lockdown. Most of these plants produce formulations.“These 900 plants represent major companies like Alembic, Sun Pharma, Intas, Troikaa Pharma among others,” informed Gujarat FDCA Commissioner Dr HG Koshia.Some of the major companies to start operations based on the layout design approvals of plants are Exotic Pharma, Godhara; Aashka Formulation, Gandhinagar; Akshar Air Gases, Surat; Swan Medicot Morbid, Fishfa Biogenics, Rajkot; Chevron Pharma, Bharuch; Alidac Pharmaceuticals, Ahmedabad Rural; Madilyn Healthcare, Ahmedabad Rural; M J Healthcare, Mehsana, Labron Healthcare, Mehsana; Trio Lifescience, Ahmedabad city; Punishka Healthcare, Edkem Pharmaceuticals, Avantika Medex, Derek Healthcare, Dewcare Concept, Afeel Life Care; Rajkot and Moksh Pharmaceuticals, Vadodara.The environment is conducive for development of pharmaceutical industry as Gujarat government has also revised its time line for grant of manufacturing licenses to 60 days from the earlier stipulated time line of 120 days.Revision of timeliness for grant of manufacturing licenses has been a major initiative of the government as part of Pharma Vision 2020 under the Right of Citizens to Services for speedy issuance of licenses.The Gujarat government was first state government which exempted sale and distribution of ethanol for production of hand sanitisers in order to tide over the shortage of hand sanitisers in the state.Hand sanitizer was brought under the ambit of essential commodities and subsequent price control to regulate its illegal sale in the unorganized market.
