Lok Sabha Question No. 1682 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-02-11
Subject: Research and Development in Drug Discovery
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Umesh G. Jadhav, D. M. Kathir Anand, Sanganna Amarappa Karadi, Prathap Simha

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH RESEARCH

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1682 TO BE ANSWERED ON 11 TH  FEBRUARY, 2022

## RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IN DRUG DISCOVERY

## 1682   DR. UMESH G. JADHAV:

SHRI D.M. KATHIR ANAND:

SHRI SANGANNA AMARAPPA:

SHRI PRATHAP SIMHA

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has allocated any funds for Research & Development in drug discovery and manufacturing;
- (b) if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) the list of Indian drugs and medicines approved by FDA, USA and EU?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (DR. BHARATI PRAVIN PAWAR)

- (a)  &  (b)  Indian  Council  of  Medical  Research  (ICMR)has  supported  several  Projects  for Research & Development in drug discovery and pharmacology for a total cost of                    Rs. 11.29  Crore  such  as  anti-dengue  viral  drug  development,  treatment  of  Glioblastoma,  antiAlzheimer activity  of coumarin based hybrid drugs, development of anti-mycobacterial drugs, etc.

The Department of Science & Technology (DST) under Ministry of Science & Technology has a Plan Scheme (Drugs & Pharmaceuticals Research Programme - DPRP) for promoting R&D in Drugs & Pharmaceuticals Sector. In the last three years, the DST has supported several Projects for a total cost of Rs. 63.44 Crore such as Development of Drugs against Psoriasis, Discovery and Development  of potential anti-obesity agents, Development  of Peptide based antiinflammatory drug for septicemia, Novel Adjuvants for Malaria Vaccine Development, etc

As  informed  by  Department  of  Pharmaceuticals,  Ministry  of  Chemicals  &  Fertilizers,  at present,07 National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education & Research (NIPER) are functioning which are offering master and PhD degrees in pharmaceutical Sector. There is no separate fund allocated for Research & Development. However, the funds are released to NIPERs for meeting the recurring expenditure, salary, scholarship,  procurement  of  equipment etc. including R&D. Rs.372.00 Crore has been allocated to all NIPERs in RE-2021-22.

The Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India, has sanctioned a budget of Rs. 12.33 Crores, for research and development of drugs for diseases such as COVID-19, cancer, epilepsy and osteoarthritis.

The Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC), a Public Sector Enterprise of Department of Biotechnology has sanctioned an amount of Rs. 67.73 Crores in the last five years  for  research  and  development  projects  in  drug  discovery,  for  various  diseases  including COVID-19.

(c) Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) regulates safety, efficacy and quality of  the  drugs,  medical  devices  and  cosmetics  under  the  provisions  of  Drugs  &  Cosmetic  Act, 1940 & its Rules. Various drugs manufactured by Indian manufacturers are exported to various countries including USA, EU etc.

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