GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

RAJYA SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO. 221
ANSWERED ON 16.12.2004

Drug research in India

*221. SHRI RAMA MUNI REDDY SIRIGIREDDY:

Will the Minister of SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY be pleased to state:

(a) what steps his Ministry is taking or propose to take to focus on drug research in India;
(b) the money spent on drug research during the last five years, year-wise;
(c) the money spent on drug research, percentage-wise, out of profit earned by companies during the last five years, year-wise; and
(d) the measures Government are taking to make India a leader in drug development?

A N S W E R

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY AND MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE DEPARTMENT OF OCEAN DEVELOPMENT

(SHRI KAPIL SIBAL)

(a) to (d) A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT AS REFERRED IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) to (d) OF RAJYA SABHA STARRED QUESTION No. 221 for 16.12.2004 REGARDING “DRUG RESEARCH IN INDIA”

(a) Ministry of Science and Technology is taking several steps and measures to focus on drug research to make India a leader in drug development. Some of these steps and measures are:

• increasing the outlay for Research and Development (R&D) on drug research
  
• introducing newer programmes for drugs and pharmaceuticals R&D
  
• encouraging collaborative R&D projects among laboratories/institutions/ industry in modern and Indian Systems of Medicine i.e. public-private partnership
  
• establishing state-of-the-art facilities
  
• strengthening the human resource development through research fellowships, young scientist scheme, etc.
  
• establishment of Pharmaceutical Research and Development Support Fund (PRDSF)
  
• the Technology Development Board of DST is supporting research and commercialization in the private sector, with good results and
  
• organising Pharma Industry-Institutional interactive meet, seminar, symposia on modern, ayurveda, unani, siddha systems of medicine including veterinary drug development.

(b) During the last five years Ministry of Science and Technology has spent Rs.5143 lakhs in 1999-2000, Rs. 4187 lakhs in 2000-01, Rs. 4948 lakhs in 2001-02, Rs. 6340 lakhs in 2002-03 and Rs. 8910 lakhs in 2003-04 respectively on drug research.

(c) No such data is collected.

(d) As provided in part (a) of the question above.

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