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In view of the increasing drug discovery expenses, it is essential to optimise research and development (R&D) costs rather than increasing the cost of medicines, according to T. Ramasami, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology.
In his address at the third convocation of the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hyderabad, held here on Saturday, he said fresh insights into disease biology may offer alternative models for cost-optimisation in drug discovery.
Unsustainable
“The current models (of drug-discovery) are not sustainable anyway. Open source methods for drug discovery could be an alternative. It is necessary to analyse the entire chain of drug discovery and address the issue comprehensively,” Ramasami added.
Referring to pharmaceutical education and talent-related challenges, the official said enrolment of talented youth into medical education seems to have suffered in the last few years.
There was a need for new models for rendering undergraduate and post-graduate education in medicine, along with a “reality check” for its comprehensiveness, affordability and role in nation building efforts, Ramasami added.
According to Ahmed Kamal, Project-Director, Niper-Hyd, a good number of research projects have been granted by various funding agencies to the faculty members.
About 20-25 per cent of students who graduated from the institute were pursuing research while 75-80 per cent were placed in top pharma companies, he said.
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