Drug Controllers of 7 states attend seminar on spurious drugs

The state Food and Drugs Administration organised an interstate seminar on spurious drugs, in which Drugs Controllers and CID and police officials of seven states participated.

It was decided to increase mutual coordination among the states and provide essential training to stakeholders and officers of enforcement departments.

Inaugurating the event on Friday, Sudhir Rajpal, Additional Chief Secretary (Health), Haryana, said the issue of spurious/counterfeit drugs and NDPS trafficking was not a local problem but a cross-border challenge among adjoining states.

He emphasised the importance of data sharing for effective monitoring of the movement of drugs.

Dr Keshav Kumar, former Joint Director (CBI), DGP & Director, Anti-Corruption Bureau, Gujarat; OS Sadhwani, retired Joint Commissioner-cum-State Drugs Controller, Maharashtra; and Lalit Goel, State Drugs Controller, Haryana, spoke about NDPS drugs and labelling/pack-size requirements.

Dr Kumar briefed the participants on the efforts of the India Pharmaceutical Alliance in creating a national database of violators involved in spurious drugs and NDPS matters, which would support nationwide investigations.

He also explained the crucial role of forensic science in uncovering drug rackets.

Sadhwani highlighted India's position as the global pharmacy and urged regulators and manufacturers to prioritise quality.

Expressing concern over illicit trafficking, abuse, and diversion of controlled substances, Goel stressed on adopting a multi-stakeholder approach to address the issues.

A panel discussion was conducted by Manish Kapoor, State Drugs Controller, Himachal Pradesh. Other State Drugs Controllers present included Sanjeev Garg, State Drugs Controller, Punjab.