After reading the 18 messages on this thread..
I would like to ask how many of you have actually worked in a pharma company.. and better.. if any one of you have actually audited the so called pharma medical research in Pakistan.. ???
Former can be any figure.. but for the later.. I am pretty sure.. none
Let me tell you some facts.
Pakistan pharma industry is like Pakistan car industry.. lots of assembly but little to no manufacturing.
The generics.. which makes up the whole of local industry.. their approval is sought by showing the most exuberant source of API with the highest manufacturing cost and after approval and pricing this trend reverses to make the highest profit.
As per law.. the companies are not allowed to buy in bulk the API and then sell it in the market.. yet this is done and was the cause of PIC disaster. It has never stopped.
There are no WHO or FDA certified companies in Pakistan. The number of companies even aiming for these certifications or even one of these can be counted on 2 fingers
BF biosciences .. a subsidiary of ferozsons is the best biological plant in Pakistan and probably the only one tht was installed by a European company. Their nowshera facility was upgraded just a few years back. They are the local partners of many international brands like Gilead.. pantheryx and baggo
The newer plants coming up by getz and for infant formula by morinaga are expected to be gud as well
Other than getz, sami, Nabi qasim, searle highnoon, ferozsons, martin dow, ccl and may be now Wilshire...rest of the local industry is a pure saeth culture. All they want, do and are good at is manipulation of culture, Underinvoicing and innovative ways of kickbacks and bribes.
So when you say Pakistan pharma industry is booming then all that means mostly is manufacturing and sales volume are increasing. There is no research, no newer combinations being tried or made, no authentic place for bio availability and bio equivalence trials. I can't even imagine narrating my experience of auditing the best site of the country.
So R&D for manufacturing.. nope.. we don't do that in Pakistan.. as we import already approved raw material for making the drugs after their parents have expired. Few are interested in collaboration and none are interested in going for the big fish in the market (american or europeanmarkets) as that requires gaining some approvals and accreditions.