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Economy and Finance

Economy and Finance

What are Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API)?

01 Sep 2023 Zinkpot 178
  1. The Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) are the active ingredients contained in a medicine. It is that part of the medicine that produces the intended therapeutic effects.
  2. For example, in a painkiller, the active ingredient relieves pain. In the OTC drug Crocin, the API is paracetamol.
  3. Only a small amount of the API is required to produce the effect and so the medicine contains only the required amount of the API. It is the most important raw material in the production of medicine.
  4. APIs are produced from raw materials, with a specified strength and chemical concentration. Some drugs, such as combination therapies, have multiple APIs that may act in different ways or treat different symptoms.
  5. APIs can potentially create a more sustainable healthcare system by introducing more innovative products.
  6. Indian companies are one of the global favorites for the production and export of APIs. India is known for the manufacture of generic drugs and APIs. Dr Reddy’s Laboratories is one of the leading producers of APIs globally.
  7. The biggest pharmaceutical companies in the world are based in the USA and Europe but these companies and the pharmaceutical industry as a whole rely on global supply chains, which are dominated by India and China.
  8. For more than a decade now, China has been the largest producer of APIs in the world. But as economies are moving towards the China plus one policy, Indian companies are emerging in the wake of it.
  9. The Indian API market size is expected to grow from USD 12.59 billion in 2023 to USD 18.76 billion by 2028.
  10. India is the third largest producer of pharmaceuticals in the world by volume. It is one of the major suppliers of medicines to the countries in the global south. India operates over 250 facilities approved by USFDA and UKMHRE and provides generic pharmaceuticals at affordable prices to millions of people worldwide.
  11. Recently, India has started manufacturing 38 APIs in the last 1 ½ years, for which it was initially import-dependent.
  12. It has been possible because of the production-linked incentive scheme, which the government has announced at Rs, 15,000 crore for pharmaceutical sector, and the bulk drug parks scheme

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