The kill pills: Lab test in Tamil Nadu rates 7 % drugs as 'substandard'''

'' It is shocking to know that a variety of drugs are found to be substandard all over the country. Manufacture and sale of spurious drugs is primarily a clandestine activity. To this extent, it is difficult to detect the manufacture or movement of spurious drugs. Any effective action against this activity would require continuous surveillance by the regulators and active co-operation from the Law and Order Enforcement machinery in the States. Circulation of spurious drug can lead to grave, adverse consequences on both consumers (patients) and genuine manufacturers. State drugs controller's findings that his office has found drugs for diabetes, high blood pressure and heart diseases to be of inferior quality. Vitamin tablets, steroids and cough syrups have also been found to be useless. At least one-third of cases filed under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act deals with substandard and spurious drugs, sharply reflecting the public health hazards posed by a network of unscrupulous pharmaceutical companies, distributors and retailers. National TB Control program is a centrally sponsored scheme with MDT or multi-drug therapy. Under the scheme large quantities of medicines are procured on rate contract and in such cases adequate quality control system is expected to be in vogue. Under the provisions of Drugs and Cosmetics Act and Rules there under, 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 .But in practice no quality control is being done mainly because of corruption in procurement.Any effective action against this activity would require continuous surveillance by the regulators and active co-operation from the Law and Order Enforcement machinery in the States.Moreover, the government officials do not monitor if expired drugs are safely disposed. These despicable people who are found manufacture and sell substandard medicines are causing death of our loved ones, driven by sheer greed. Despite reports of cases of fraudulent and spurious manufacturing of drugs, supply of low quality medicines and negligence towards disposal of expired medicines, no effective steps have been taken by the administration to change the Act to impose stringent punishment to the perpetrators such heinous crime. At present only penalty imposed is fine of maximum one lakh rupees. Cases of imprisonment have been rare. The heinous crime of providing spurious or sub standard medicines should be treated at par with mass murder and punished as it would be mass murderer. There can be no mercy and it should be the top priority of the governments to ensure quality drugs including those supplied 'free' from government hospitals/ dispensaries on which the poor and needy people depend for the life and well being. Dr.C.Murukadas, Times of India, August 23,2012