Context:
Recently, India restarted the manufacture of Penicillin G.
Penicillin G:
- Also known as Benzylpenicillin
- A narrow spectrum antibiotic used for the treatment of several serious bacterial infections
- Such as pneumonia, meningitis, gonorrhea, syphilis, etc
- An active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) used in several common antibiotics
- Due to poor oral absorption, generally administered intravenously (by means of veins) or intramuscularly (injection through muscles)
- Particularly effective against Pneumonia, Strep throat, Syphilis, Tetanus
- Produced by – Fermentation of Penicillium chrysogenum, involving fermentation, recovery, and purification
Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API):
- Biologically active component of a drug product like tablet, capsule, cream etc.
- Main ingredient in a medicine that causes the desired effect
- Finds application in high quality drugs that treat diseases pertaining to –
- Oncology, cardiology, CNS and neurology, orthopaedic, pulmonology, gastroenterology, nephrology, ophthalmology, and endocrinology.
- Can potentially create a more sustainable healthcare system by introducing more innovative products
Why faced out in India?
- Reason – Cheaper Chinese products flooded the market
- The last plant to stop production of the antibiotic was Torrent Pharma in Ahmedabad.
- Government Initiative –
- Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme – Provides financial incentives to companies that set up and scale up API manufacturing facilities in India
Source: Indian Express
Previous Year Question
Consider the following statements:
Statement-I:
India accounts for 3.2% of global export of goods.
Statement-II:
Many local companies and some foreign companies operating in India have taken advantage of India’s ‘Production-linked Incentive’ scheme.Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2023 Prelims]
(a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I
(b) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I
(c) Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect
(d) Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct
Answer: (d)
Explanation:
Statement I is not correct:
According to the recent WTO’S Global Trade Outlook and Statistics report, India accounts for 1.8 % of global exports of goods.
