Amid rising concerns over counterfeit and substandard drugs in the Indian market, a Parliamentary panel is set to review the performance of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) in its efforts to combat the circulation of spurious medicines. This initiative underscores the government’s commitment to ensuring drug quality and protecting consumer safety.

Key Highlights

1. Purpose of the Review:

2. The panel will evaluate the CDSCO’s efficiency in controlling the sale of counterfeit and substandard drugs, with input from the Department of Pharmaceuticals and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

  2.  Zero Tolerance Policy:

• The government has reiterated its zero-tolerance stance toward counterfeit drugs and aims to strengthen coordination between CDSCO and state drug regulatory authorities.

Recent Actions Against Spurious Drugs

• West Bengal Raid:

Last week, the CDSCO, in collaboration with the West Bengal government, seized a significant quantity of spurious anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, and other medicines.

• Legal Action:

Licensing authorities have initiated prosecutions under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, against offenders involved in spurious drug production and distribution.

• QR Code Mandate:

To enhance traceability, the government has made Quick Response (QR) codes mandatory for 300 life-saving drugs and all Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) manufactured or imported in India.
QR codes will store key information such as product identification codes, batch numbers, manufacturing dates, and expiry dates.Statistics on Substandard Drugs
According to government data:

• In 2023-24, 2,988 drug samples were declared “not of standard quality.”

• 282 samples were identified as spurious or adulterated.

Expected Outcome of the Review
The Parliamentary standing committee will provide recommendations to the Ministry of Health and the Department of Pharmaceuticals on:

• Strengthening regulatory frameworks.

• Enhancing the efficacy of inspections and enforcement actions.

• Addressing gaps in the current system to ensure stringent control over counterfeit drugs.

The review of CDSCO’s performance is a critical step in combating the widespread issue of counterfeit medicines. With measures like mandatory QR codes and coordinated efforts across agencies, the government is aiming to safeguard public health and restore trust in the pharmaceutical supply chain.