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Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare and Chemicals and Fertilizers Jagat Prakash Nadda urged the countrys life sciences industry to make patient-centric innovation its central mission. He addressed the gathering at the inaugural Bharat Life Sciences Award (BLSA), organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) at Vigyan Bhawan on Thursday.
True success is not just inventing in the lab, but taking discoveries from bench to bedside, Nadda said in a video address. Ensuring high-quality care is accessible, timely and affordable for the last person in the queue, he added. The initiative provided Rs 7 crore in grant support and drew more than 500 applications in its debut edition. Nadda cited Ayushman Bharat PM-JAYs Rs 5 lakh annual cover, now extended to all citizens aged 70 and above. He noted that the country's bioeconomy, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and vaccine leadership proved what could be achieved when scientific capability aligned with clear public purpose. Flagship programmes such as Biopharma Shakti, he observed, steered the sector along that path. The awards honoured several researchers and organisations. Dr Vamsee Mallajosyula from the National Centre for Biological Sciences won the Ramanujan Arogya Udaan Samman, while Dr Bharti Bhatia of the Translational Health Science and Technology Institute took the runner-up position. Pacify Medical Technologies received the Charaka Arogya Samman for unmet patient needs. Bharat Serums and Vaccines secured the Sushruta Arogya Samman, and BRIC-National Institute of Biomedical Genomics won the Nalanda Arogya Vigyan Samman, followed by runner-up LV Prasad Eye Institute. Sciverse Solutions and Dr Ratnesh Jain received the Gaurav recognitions. Industry leaders highlighted structural shifts required to bolster discovery. Pankaj Patel, Past President of FICCI and Chairman of Zydus Lifesciences, noted that the country carried 15 per cent of the global disease burden yet hosted only 4 per cent of clinical trials. We are the worlds pharmacy by volume but still a small player in discovery, Patel said. Our ambition must move from pharmacy of the world to the lab of the world, he added, urging companies to raise research spending to 8-10 per cent. Drugs Controller General of India Dr Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi highlighted the need to move from manufacturing to innovation, stating that regulatory strategy must integrate into core development planning. Department of Pharmaceuticals Secretary Manoj Joshi affirmed that the Biopharma Shakti scheme would soon support the entire value chain, specifically targeting raw material import dependencies. NITI Aayog Member Prof Gobardhan Das urged deeper industry-academia linkages to prevent research from stagnating inside laboratories. David A. Ricks, chair and CEO of Eli Lilly and Company, emphasised India's scientific talent and its role in translating lab discoveries into real-world impact. The summit drew over 1,200 delegates alongside industry executives and senior officials. (ANI)
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