Approaches the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare about its capabilities and capacity to supply glass bottles to the pharma industry
All India Glass Manufacturers’ Federation (AIGMF) has reiterated its stand of the glass industry’s capabilities and capacity for unhindered supplies of glass bottles to pharmaceutical companies. AIGMF has recently approached the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare about its capabilities and capacity to supply glass bottles to the pharma industry once the final notification of prohibition is issued.
According to a AIGMF release, in the light of the proposed ban on use of PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) for packaging medicines, an ill-informed campaign was started on the characteristic of glass bottles and on its suitability for primary packaging of pharma products.
AIGMF opines that the misconception created about price increase of drugs due to prohibition of PET packaging shows total disregard for human health especially of women and children. The release notes that the pharma industry currently uses glass bottles to fill its 40-50 per cent requirement and the conversion from glass to PET /plastic packaging started only eight to 10 years back for sake of convenience, purely commercial benefits and due to lack of awareness.
AIGMF officials aver that the impact of cost of packaging on the MRP would not so significant that the switchover from PET to glass should be of any issue to any manufacturer, especially considering the huge health advantage women and children would enjoy in the long run due to this switchover.
The glass industry, which believes in the concept of ‘Make in India’ has invested more than Rs 5000 crores in the last five years to create capacities. This will enable the glass industry to cater to the additional demand from the pharma industry.