Gene and cell therapy with a focus on preventive medicine is the future of health care, an expert taking part in the 72 Indian Pharmaceutical Congress said on January 20.

The global ambassador of the World Packaging Organisation, a body which works closely with the pharmaceutical sector to produce high-technology packaging, also said such research was underway in nations like Norway and Finland and India was also following suit.

"The focus will be on prevention rather than cure. In this, citizens are diagnosed technically to see what diseases they could be afflicted with in the next five to ten years and preventive medicines will be deployed," he told PTI.

"'For example, some persons in Sweden have already received gene/cell-based treatments for cancer as well as therapies for Spinal Muscular Atrophy and Retinitis Pigmentosa. This is the future. We don't need to wait. We can cure a disease before it strikes," he said.

He hailed India for producing affordable drugs and exporting them to over 200 nations, adding that the value of export was USD 25 billion.

"It could have been three to four times more, but we must remember India is producing high-quality drugs at affordable rates, which is a matter of pride. Drug formulation and biologicals are the 4th largest set of commodities being exported by India," he added.

He said the packages of medicines acted like the "second physician" and great care is taken to ensure the literature printed on them is accurate.

He spoke on the theme 'Evolving Indian pharma in changing world: role of packaging innovations to foster growth' at the three-day event.