(MENAFN- Live Mint) New Delhi: A Parliamentary panel will review the performance of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) in checking the sale of spurious and fake medicines.
This comes in the backdrop of growing complaints about the circulation of counterfeit and substandard drugs in the market.
“There's a briefing by the representatives of Department of Pharmaceuticals and Ministry of health and Family Welfare along with Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) on the subject to review the performance of regulatory authorities for stringent control of spurious and fake medicines,” an official aware of the matter said.
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Based on representations, the parliamentary standing committee will give its suggestions to the ministry of health and the department of pharmaceuticals, added the official.
“The government has zero tolerance policy towards the circulation of counterfeit and substandard drugs in the market. The CDSCO and state authorities will continue to work in close coordination to combat the threat posed by spurious drugs and to safeguard the interests of consumers,” the official added.
Action on spurious drugs
Last week, the CDSCO in a joint investigation by the West Bengal government seized a large quantity of anti-cancer, anti-diabetic and other drugs suspected to be spurious.
“In all cases of spurious drugs based on investigation, necessary actions are being taken by licensing authorities concerned by prosecuting the offenders under the provisions of Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940,” the official said adding that the government has also made it mandatory for 300 lifesaving drugs to have QR codes.
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In 2023, the government made it mandatory for every Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (bulk drug) manufactured or imported in India to bear a Quick Response Code on its label at each level of packaging to facilitate tracking and tracing.
“The stored data or information shall include the minimum particulars including unique product identification code, batch number, manufacturing date, expiry date, etc.”
According to government data, during the year 2023-24, around 2,988 drug samples were declared 'not of standard quality' while 282 drug samples were found to be spurious or adulterated.
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