New Delhi: In what was her record ninth budget speech and the first on a Sunday, Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a biopharma strategy for health advancement through knowledge, technology and innovation.
The biopharmaceutical sector in the country sat up and took notice as the finance minister announced an outlay of Rs 10,000 crore over the next five years.
“India’s disease burden is observed to be shifting towards non-communicable diseases like diabetes, cancer and auto-immune diseases. Biological medicines are key to longevity and quality of life at affordable costs. To develop India as a global bio-pharma manufacturing hub, I propose the bio-pharma, Shakti, w
ith an outlay of 10,000 crore over the next five years,” Sitharaman said in her budget speech.
“It will also create a network of 1,000 accredited India clinical trials sites. We propose to strengthen the Central Drug Standard Control Organisation to meet global standards and approve timeframes through a dedicated scientific review and specialists,” she added
The country’s disease profile has undergone a major epidemiological shift, with non communicable diseases (NCDs) now dominating mortality and morbidity. Estimates from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2023-2025 show that NCDs account for nearly 60% of all deaths in India, compared with infectious and maternal causes which now contribute less than one fourth of mortality.
Cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancers and chronic respiratory illnesses are the leading contributors to disability adjusted life years (DALYs), placing sustained pressure on the healthcare system and economy. The World Health Organization estimates that NCDs cost India close to USD 250 billion annually in lost productivity and healthcare expenditure.