Rockville, MD, March 6, 2020 – The decision of the Government of India to place restrictions on the export of 26 finished drug products and API (active pharmaceutical ingredient) stands to erode confidence in the stability of the global medicines supply chain. We recognize that India may be taking action to assess the inventory of available ingredients that are heavily dependent on manufacturing in China. But it is important for there to be transparency around that decision. By not broadly communicating the rationale for the restrictions, the Indian government may stoke the fear of other countries, health professionals and patients that rely on the medicines and medicine ingredients manufactured in India.
The global marketplace has reason to be concerned because the supply chain for medicines and medicine ingredients is so concentrated in a few countries – especially in India and China - which can create vulnerabilities to natural disasters, policy actions, political instability and health crises such as COVID-19. We need a more resilient supply chain that is geographically diverse. We don't have that today. USP stands ready to support major governments and healthcare stakeholders to help support continued access to quality medicines around the world during this crisis. We encourage thought leadership and collaborative efforts to build incentives and policy measures that will safeguard and stabilize the supply chain of the future.
About USP
USP is an independent scientific organization that collaborates with the world's top experts in health and science to develop quality standards for medicines, dietary supplements, and food ingredients. Through our standards, advocacy and education, USP helps increase the availability of quality medicines, supplements and food for billions of people worldwide. For more information about USP, visit www.usp.org.