Indian pharma threatened by coronavirus outbreak that could lead to shortage of Chinese drug imports

India's pharmaceutical industry has warned that the ongoing coronavirus epidemic could impact the supply of ingredients and drugs imported from China.

The possibility that drug imports could be slashed due to the outbreak is being "closely monitored" and the government is working with pharmaceutical companies "in an integrated way to deal with the situation," Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance Secretary General Sudarshan Jain told local media.

A shortage of Chinese drugs would have an immediate effect on India's pharmaceutical industry, as China accounted for some 68 percent of total imports for bulk drugs and ingredients in 2018-2019.

India is already looking at how these imports can be replaced by alternate sources, and companies have been maintaining two- or three-month inventories of certain items as a precaution.

The coronavirus, which began in Wuhan, China, has killed more than 800 people and infected 37,000 people worldwide. The vast majority of fatalities and infections have occurred in mainland China.

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