Categories: Financial Results

Testing on 42,000 drugs to ‘prove quality to world’

Mega survey will be completed in 6-8 months, says Drugs Controller

Hyderabad, May 28, 2015:

A mega survey involving testing of 42,000 samples of Indian drugs for quality will be completed in the next six to eight months, according to GN Singh, Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI).

Speaking to newspersons on the sidelines of a conference on quality of drugs organised by the US Pharmacopoeia (USP) on Tuesday, Singh said DCGI had already commenced the testing.

“After about six months, we will actually know and tell the world that our drugs are of quality. This will also help negate misnomers as various numbers are being circulated about percentage of spurious/low quality Indian drugs,” he said.

The apex body for drug control is also ramping up its capacity. “We will be recruiting about 200 drug inspectors and assistant inspectors in next two months to strengthen our testing capabilities,” he said. At present its enforcement wing has 350 employees.

A pilot on mobile drug testing labs being run in Gujarat will also be scaled up. This year, DCGI wants to launch at least 20 more labs which will be deployed in states like Jammu & Kashmir, Bihar and UP, the official said.

FDI Visits

There will be more focus on ensuring strict adherence to Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) by the companies, he added.

When asked on measures to deal with increasing number of warning letters and other issues being faced by the Indian drug makers with the US Food and Drug Administration (USFDA), Singh said primarily it was an issue between the buyers and sellers.

“When somebody buys, they want their own rules of the game. But in a meeting with FDI team recently, we have requested it to inform us so that we can also send our inspectors along with its teams,” he said. The USFDA has positively responded.

“Already 35 to 40 per cent of all generic medicines in the US market are from India with an almost similar lead in the Europe.

“This is set to grow with the current focus on ‘Make in India’” he said.

The DCGI is also working on introducing various mechanisms for ease of operations in pharma exports. Business Line

The Pharma Times News Bureau

Recent Posts

8 Ways Insomnia Affects Skin Health & How To Avoid It

By Dr. Priyanka Kuri, Consultant - Dermatology, Aster Whitefield Hospital, Bengaluru Insomnia, the persistent inability…

1 day ago

Breaking New Ground in Migraine Care: A Landmark Session on Diagnosis and Treatment

Illuminating Latest Advances in Migraine Diagnosis and Treatment New Delhi, December 21, 2024: In a…

1 day ago

Healthcare Startups to Watch Out for in 2025

New Delhi, December 20, 2024: The healthcare sector is undergoing a transformation fueled by technological…

2 days ago

DKMS’s First Global Impact Report of 2023 Serves as New Ray of Hope for Blood Cancer Patients Worldwide

National, December 20, 2024: DKMS just published its first Global Impact Report that outlines the organization's…

2 days ago

Sterling Biotech to start world’s first precision fermentation-based dairy protein factory in Gujarat

Ahmedabad, December 19, 2024: Sterling Biotech Limited, a joint venture between Perfect Day and Zydus, has…

3 days ago

Pioneers in Senior Care, Antara, Partners with Leading Diagnostics Player Dr. Lal PathLabs to Strengthen its Geriatric Care Services

New Delhi, December 19, 2024: Antara Senior Care, an integrated eco-system provider for lifestyle and…

3 days ago