More Than 10k Transcriptions Required Each Yr

The $250-million medical transcription (MT) industry in India is on a roll. With replacements hard to come by for transcriptionists moving out of service in the US, the largest market, the MT industry in India is upbeat. India needs more than 10,000 MTs every year, and the industry is growing at around 50% annually, according to Suresh Nair, president of Indian Medical Transcription Industry Association (IMTIA) and CEO of Spheris India.

Around 200 companies in the industry employ more than 12,000 people in the country. "The growth is happening not because of the cost factor, but due to the lack of trained manpower in the US," Mr Nair told reporters here on Wednesday. While the manpower capacity in the US is declining by 10% every year, replacements are not happening in the same proportion he said.

He acknowledged that India is facing stiff competition from Philippines, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

(Ref : The Economic Times dated May 18, 2006)

Marck Biosciences To Inject Rs 72 crore For Kheda Unit

Marck Biosciences, and IV fluids maker, has planned an investment of Rs 72 crore at its existing Kheda facility. The fresh investment is towards creating additional capacity especially in small volume parenterals (SPV) which is used in ophthalmic and respiratory products. The company hopes to treble its revenues once the expansion is complete.

"We have plans to capture the huge exports opportunities in the SVP segment, especially in markets like US, Europe, Brazil and South Africa," Bhavesh Patel, managing director, Marck Biosciences Ltd. Said at a press conference here. The expansion will be completed by June next year after which the total SVP capacity will reach 163.1 million units from current 26.2 million units. "Once the expansion is complete, the total revenues will go up to Rs 105 crore, up from Rs 35 crore in fiscal 2006," Patel said. The total investments in the Kheda facility would cross Rs 125 crore.

The funds will be raised through internal accruals and debt market and will be used in setting up formulation and development centre, laboratory & training centres.

For exports the company is currently talking to pharma companies in US for contract manufacturing. "We are talking to few players in US and a deal on SVP contract manufacturing is on the anvil. However, we would require approval from the USFDA before we could export to US," Patel said. Last year Marck commissioned the sterile dosage facility for manufacturing ophthalmic products, respiratory range and small volume injectables. "Apart from the increased products, this expansion would make Marck versatile sterile dosage facility with aseptic blow fill seal technology," Patel said.

(Ref : The Economic Times dated May 10, 2006)