Kerala DCA prepares new guidelines to collect drug samples as the number of DTLs increases

Sep 26,2023

Since the state has four drug testing laboratories and one more in the pipeline, the drug control administration (DCA) in Kerala has prepared new guidelines to drug inspectors for drawing drug samples from industry and retail shops.

As per the new guidelines, one drug inspector has to collect 23 samples per month and this will likely increase when the fifth lab becomes operational. Kerala DCA is the only drug regulator in India having this much number of drug testing laboratories and large collection of drug samples.

 
Sources said the department wants that the quality of all the medicinal products circulated in the market, whether locally manufactured or imported, should be free from all sorts of defects, deficiencies and variations. The DCA is fully committed to standards and measures are taken accordingly to ensure that all the drugs of every batch marketed in Kerala should have the same quality standards and not even a single NSQ will be allowed to remain in the market, says Dr. K Sujith Kumar, drug controller, Kerala. 

 
“Unlike in other states in the country, Kerala DCA has four drug testing labs (DTL), out of which two are NABL accredited. One more laboratory is being constructed at Kannur. The labs and the drug control wing have sufficient staff including drug inspectors and they need jobs. So, the number of sample collections has been increased from 10 to 23 per month. With the increase in the number of laboratories, the time for analysis and test report has been reduced to three weeks from the earlier two months or three months time”, said the DC over telephone.

Source: Pharmabiz