The Ministry Of Health Asks To Cross-Sector To Develop Local Drug Raw Materials

UNSPLASH ILLUSTRATION

JAKARTA - Director of Pharmacy Resilience and Medical Devices of the Indonesian Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) Roy Himawan asked for cross-sectoral collaboration, including researchers from the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) in developing biopharmaceuticals and local raw drugs.

"Intensive synergies are needed between the government, academics, researchers including BRIN research institutes, and industry in strengthening Indonesia's health resilience and providing added value to health services," said Roy Himawan at a answering event entitledCurrent Research on Biopharmaceutical and Drugs Development reported by ANTARA, Thursday, November 16.

Roy said the development of biopharmaceuticals and drugs made from local raw materials refers to the Decree of the Minister of Health (KMK) Number.HK.01.07/MENKES/1333/2023 concerning Increasing the Use of Pharmaceutical Provisions Using Domestic Production Raw Materials.

In the KMK Number.HK.01.07/MENKES/1333/2023, there are 45 medicinal raw materials (BBO) that are encouraged to be used domestically.

A total of 21 BBOs, he said, had completed their development, and 24 others were in development until 2024, including BBO paracetamol, which is often used by the Indonesian people.

He emphasized that the decision was made in an effort to support the development of the domestic pharmaceutical preparation industry.

With the issuance of KMK, he continued, government agencies, both central and regional, and private institutions must prioritize the availability of pharmaceuticals using domestically produced raw materials in the procurement of goods or services through electronic catalogs.

However, he said, on the other hand, the development of innovation in the need for domestic medicinal raw materials is still difficult to meet in the upstream industry in Indonesia.

For this reason, he emphasized that the industry can cooperate with universities or research agencies related to the needs of raw materials.

"The industry can enter universities or research agencies to explain its production needs so that researchers have challenges to meet these needs," he said.

In meeting the needs of health transformation, his party seeks to increase domestic development capacity through various policies, one of which is by collaborating with the world and multi-sector.

This encourages the transfer of biopharmaceutical technology that needs to be accompanied by regulations, local product markets, human resources and environments that support innovation.