WILLEMSTAD - Following recent reports, Minister of Public Health Javier Silvania is actively considering the possibility of importing generic medications from India. Silvania disclosed ongoing collaboration with the Indian community in Curaçao, paving the way for this endeavor.
Meanwhile, inspections in the Netherlands have uncovered that Indian pharmaceutical manufacturer Intas Pharmaceuticals fails to comply with Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) guidelines. The Dutch Healthcare and Youth Inspectorate (IGJ) highlighted that the implications for the Netherlands and Europe remain unclear.
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has identified production issues at an Intas facility in India. In response, the IGJ confirmed communication with European counterparts, including the Medicines Evaluation Board (CBG), to assess the impact on medication supply from this manufacturer.
Intas Pharmaceuticals supplies medicines to the Dutch market through its subsidiary, Accord Healthcare.
The inspection stresses that manufacturers outside Europe producing medicines for the European market are subject to periodic scrutiny by the IGJ or other European regulatory bodies, at the request of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) or the CBG.
While the specific manufacturer under consideration by the Curaçao government remains unclear, Silvania emphasized the potential benefits, stating, "India is a leading producer of generic medications, and it would be advantageous for Curaçao to establish direct imports from their factories."