The India chapter of Parenteral Drug Association (PDA) is keen on the country getting a skill development centre to extend hands-on training to prospective as well as existing workforce in the areas of parenteral drug manufacturing.
It plans to make a suggestion to the government of India by end of this year. At present, PDA globally has such a facility only in the US and had proposed for another in Europe.
“We want to suggest [need for] a skill development centre in the area of parenteral drugs where hands-on experience is important. [Indeed] it would require investment. If the government invests good or the government and industry can come together as a consortium [to establish],” Sanjit Singh Lamba, President of PDA India Chapter said.
In the city, where a two-day programme on ‘Quality metrics and quality culture for pharmaceutical manufacturing’ of PDA got under way on Thursday, he said the suggestion will be in line with emphasis of the Centre on measures to impart skills. The programme is being organised by Senior Director of PDA Education David Talmage.
Apart from helping equip the workforce with the right skills and certify them, the skill centre would aid growth of manufacturing of bio-similars, biotech products and new medicines such as monoclonal antibodies in the country. It would also help cut down on the costs the company incur by sending their employees for training abroad.
“Our share in [parenteral] segment is very low compared to China and South Korea,” he said, pointing out that bulk of products sold in India tablets and capsules. In parenterals, India has a large presence only in the area of vaccines, he added.
On the location, Dr.Lamba said while Hyderabad and Ahmedabad were potential candidates a final decision would depend on the opinion of the regulator. The decision to push for the facility forms part of the PDA India’s focus this year on engaging with academic with an eye on getting industry-ready candidates. Discussions had been initiated with universities and pharma colleges as well as with the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER).
The emphasis will be on what kind of orientation the institutions should give to the students in the final year of the course to make them industry-ready. “This is a major requirement as we get bright students, with good marks, but no orientation for the industry,” he said, adding last year PDA India’s focus on engagement with regulators.
