Pakistan produces one of the best talent in the world but it is rarely retained by the country – Dr. Mehmood Khan We must democratize, stabilize and ensure equitable distribution of resources
Keynote Address at 7th Pakistan Pharma Summit 2024
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani pharmaceutical industry should establish collaboration with academic institutions, should have the ability to collaborate with different organizations at global level. They also need to improve collaboration within the two hundred fifty pharmaceutical companies operating in the country. Pakistan produces one of the best talent in the world but it rarely retains that. This was stated by Dr. Mehmood Khan, Chief Executive Officer of Hevolution Foundation form Saudi Arabia. He was the Guest of Honour at the recently held 7th Pakistan Pharma Summit 2024 organized by Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA) at Islamabad from September 24th to 25th, 2024.
Malik Mukhtar Ahmad Bharath Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Health presenting Mementoes to Dr. Mehmood Khan who was the invited keynote speaker at the Pharma Summit 2024.
In his keynote address in the inaugural session he commended the progress made by the Pakistani pharmaceutical industry since over 70% of the drugs are being produced by the National Pharmaceutical industry while the rest is being produced by MNCs. We need partnership with multinationals to exchange ideas, international know how. Large multinationals offer varied experience and are helpful in developing Chief Executive Officers for the industry at global level. Just look how they are trained. Pakistan is now exporting drugs to sixty to seventy countries of the world. Our domestic market is very small. He also referred to the barriers and how the pharma industry can progress. Pharma industry in Pakistan is providing lifesaving quality drugs at affordable prices, he added
Continuing Dr. Mehmood Khan said that Invention is different from innovations.
Mr. Osman Khalid Waheed Chief Executive Office of Ferozesons interviewing
Dr. Mehmood Khan during the Pharma Summit 2024.
Institutions develop new molecules and it takes ten to fifteen years to market any new molecule. Without invention there can be no innovation. If the pharma industry has the capability to collaborate, it can do that. Pakistan should take the opportunity to bridge the gap. You should know how to develop further consolidation. There are five leading pharma companies in USA, Europe, Japan, they have collaboration between themselves and they enjoy major pharma market share globally. It has impact on the international market. He also referred to the development of vaccines and development of resistance. We must have the capability to survive in our own country, he remarked.
Addressing the chief executives of the pharma industry attending the Summit Dr. Mehmood Khan said, you must have capability and confidence in your own products you produce and should be able to compete at international level. Unless you have that, no one will rely on you. He emphasized the importance of public private partnership which is ideal in USA. The United States legal system supports it. Pakistan, rarely retains the talent and our young generation is leaving the country. We have to nurture the next generation. We must retain our scientists, physicians and other professionals, he added.
Some of the Guest Speakers and Moderator of the Pharma Summit 2024 photographed alongwith Dr. Kaiser Waheed, Mr. Haroon Qassim, Chairman & Co-chairman respectively, Dr. Mehmood Khan, Chairman PPMA and Dr. Semih Kumluk who conducted the workshop on AI in Pharma.
Speaking about the challenges and Opportunities for Pakistan Dr. Mehmood Khan stated that while we must compete on prices in UK, Europe and USA but pricing is not the strength. We must try to find out what the world needs. We see Malaria, Dengue, Insulin resistance. Investment for development of vaccines came from United States to develop Covid vaccines. Learn how to collaborate between public and private sector. Multi resistance organism is killing more people than cancer. National Institute of Health in USA is spending huge amount on research and almost 50% of this is on cancer. However, Multi resistance organism is killing more patients including cancer. Funding for multiresistance organism is there and these opportunities are available. My own organization has provided four hundred million dollars for research. You need to prove your ability to use this, convince us the funders about your competence and ability to undertake research, funders will be too glad to help you, he remarked.
We have the ability to use technology for research. Vast majority of the drugs being discovered are biologicals, using biology and not chemistry. We need biology laboratories and professional capacity. We need to change our curriculum giving preference to mathematics and biology rather than chemistry. The professionals we produce are not capable of working in biological plants. By the year 2050 majority of the patents using drugs will be sixty years of age or more. We will have elderly population the world over. Almost 60% of the drugs will be used by these elderly people hence we need to put more research on disease of aging. We need to undertake research on age related disorders. Change is there in the population of UK, USA, Japan and South Korea and these countries are investing in these areas. Digital therapies are all based on biology, biologicals. Market value of food items has declined. Look at these challenges and what others are doing, this also offers some opportunities. Pakistan must develop its own human resource capacity and collaborate between your own organizations. Invest for value in future, collaborate and invest.
Interview with Osman Khalid Waheed
Later in an interview with Mr. Osman Khalid Waheed Chief Executive Officer of Ferozesons who had played a key role in inviting Dr. Mehmood Khan to the Pharma Summit, he said that one learns throughout the life. Success should not be determined with sales. It is our resilience and ability to overcome difficulties and take challenges. This, Mr. Osman Khalid Waheed remarked was the important message for the young generation, Government and all of us. Dr Mehmood Khan further stated that he loved Pakistani culture and Pakistan is his identity. He was privileged to be invited to address this Pharma Summit. We were the privileged children, had lot of resources. Hence now we must open the doors for the next generation. One is surprised at the opportunities available everywhere, he stated.
Federal Commerce Minister Mr. Jam Kamal Khan who was chief guest at one of the sessions during the Pharma Summit 2024 organized by PPMA at Islamabad on September 25th presenting Mementoes to some of the speakers, chief executives of the pharma industry in one of the session.
Pakistan spends least on health and education. Look at the health landscape of Pakistan. We have diabetes an epidemic, AMR is a major problem. New super bugs are threating. It offers opportunities for the Pakistani pharma industry, healthcare providers. We must pay attention to public health. Government gives policy and framework. We need to take care of sanitation, environment, climate change, water supply. There are opportunities for Pakistan to understand these different factors, work on medical and diagnostic level before resistance develops and come with new effective drugs. During the Covid19 pandemic some countries had to face the problem of supply chain, he remarked.
He also talked about the role of Artificial Intelligence in Pharmaceutical industry, and what role the pharma industry can play to promote ethical use of drugs. We spend lot of time on bioethics. He was of the view that medical profession must uphold professional ethics in the practice of medicine. Let us see how it is being done and for whom. Medical profession must bring compliance of Bioethics to Pakistan. We also need to look at how to narrow the divide between the rich and poor. We must democratize, stabilize and ensure equitable distribution of resources and ensure equitable world growth for the benefit of all regardless of all other things. At present our policies are leaving the new generation far behind. He also highlighted the importance of economic bioethics.
