Presence of substandard or counterfeit drugs in the market has become a global concern. Most of the developing countries around the world are the victims of this drug trade. These drugs may cause life threatening complications and are also responsible for financial losses for both the consumer and the manufacturer as well. The circulation of spurious drugs is a challenge for the concerned authorities and is also posing a serious risk to the lives of people. Besides, the business of genuine drug manufacturers is also badly affected.
What makes it difficult to stamp out their circulation is that the spurious medicines are packaged in such a way that it is almost impossible to differentiate them from the genuine ones. The spurious drug industry thrives on the ignorance of consumers and lack of effective regulatory system.
According to the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, a drug shall be deemed to be spurious if it is manufactured under a name which belongs to another drug, if it is an imitation of another drug or if it has been substituted wholly or partly by another drug or if it wrongly claims to be the product of another manufacturer. A stringent penalty for manufacture and sale of spurious drugs has also been prescribed under the Act. Under the provisions of the Act, it is the joint responsibility of Central and State Governments through their respective Drug Control organizations to regulate manufacture and sale of drugs as well as to keep surveillance over possible movement of spurious drugs.
The absence of a robust drug policy in the UT has also made it difficult to check the trade of spurious drugs. Since the manufacture and sale of spurious drugs is primarily a clandestine activity, there is a need for continuous surveillance by the government with active co-operation from people. As per the rules, doctors have to prescribe medicines on salt basis and not on the trade name of a drug manufacturing company. The authorities need to ensure its implementation as it would help to check the practice of taking commission from drug companies by the doctors.
The existing drug testing laboratories also need to be updated. There is also a need for stricter punishment for the people involved in spurious drug racketing. The government should announce cash rewards for anyone providing evidence of spurious drug manufacturing or selling. People on their part should buy medicines only from reputed and well-established chemists. Public information campaigns should be launched in this regard.
The spurious drug trade can also be checked by strengthening the Drugs Controller’s Organization with intelligence and legal cell and proper surveillance system. Implementation of the guidelines laid by the Centre for efficient communication networking with respect to inter-state movement of the spurious drugs can also help the cause. Keeping in view the serious implications of spurious drugs on public health as well as the loss to genuine manufacturers, there is a dire need to combat the menace at every level.
(Author is a researcher and social activist)
