India to promote drugs in Africa after fake Chinese drugs 'made in India' seized

Jun 13 2009

India launched a project to promote its $10.7 billion pharmaceutical industry in Africa after fake drugs labeled "Made in India," but with actual origins in China were seized on the continent, IANS/Hindu reports.

According to a commerce ministry statement, an effort to show ministers and senior officials in African nations "that the Indian generic industry is as safe as its patented versions and is available at much reasonable prices" is underway.

Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria Mahesh Kumar Sachdev told the commerce ministry that a large consignment of fake malaria drugs had been seized. "After a laboratory analysis by the Nigerian Government Drug Regulatory Authority, the drugs have been found to be fake and had it not been intercepted, about 642,000 adults would have been affected," according to the statement. 

Commerce ministry officials said India was collecting evidence from African countries including, Ghana, the Ivory Coast and Nigeria, where fake Chinese drugs were being passed as Indian-made. "We have already lodged a protest with the Chinese authorities - at the mission here and also through our embassy in Beijing," a senior official in the commerce ministry said (IANS/Hindu, 6/11).

Times of India writes, "The government is making efforts at brand promotion of Indian pharmaceuticals and generic drugs in Africa" (Times of India, 6/11).