Muhith: Drug export to US a great achievement

“One of the most difficult regulatory body in that (US) country is Food and Drug Administration,” he said while addressing, as the chief guest, at a function on celebrating the first-ever shipment of prescription medicine to USA at a city hotel yesterday. Beximco Pharmaceuticals Limited (BPL) organised the function marking the company’s first-ever pharmaceutical product export to US market. Congratulating the Beximco Pharmaceuticals for the achievement, the minister said this is the achievement of the pharmaceutical sector of the country. Health and Family Welfare Minister Mohammed Nasim, US Ambassador in Dhaka Marcia Bernicat, Beximco Group Vice Chairman Salman F Rahman and Beximco Pharma Managing Director Nazmul Hassan MP, among others, were present. Receiving approval from the US Food and Drug Administration is long and rigorous process, said Marcia Bernicat, adding that “It is the FDA’s job to uphold the highest standards and to protect American consumers.” “It is a testament to Beximco’s hard work - as well as the quality of their products - that Bangladesh is able to celebrate the occasion of exporting the first FDA -approved drug to the United States,” she said. She mentioned that it is crucial for the country to diversify its economy and move up the value-added chain to meet the goal of becoming a middle- income country. Terming the day a significant milestone, Salman F Rahman said “We began a new era for the pharmaceutical industry in Bangladesh by exporting to US market.” In the fiscal year 2015-16, Bangladesh earned $82.11 billion, a 13.04% up, compared to $72.64 million a year ago. The sector has exceeded export target by 2.64%. Nazmul Hasan said ‘These initiatives are in line with our aspirations to expand our reach by taking products to the world.” The company is one of the largest exporters of pharmaceuticals in the country and its state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities are certified by global regulatory bodies of Australia, European Union, Gulf nations, Brazil,  and others. The company is consistently building upon its portfolio and currently producing more than 500 products in different dosage forms covering broader therapeutic categories which include antibiotics, antihypertensives, antidiabetics, antiretrovirals, anti asthma inhalers etc.