DCGI Called Meeting To Introduce Trace And Track Mechanism For Top 300 Drug Brands

New Delhi, 19 June 2018: The Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has called a meeting with all major pharmaceutical companies on June 25 to discuss the proposal regarding introduction of trace and track mechanism for top 300 drug brands that are sold in India. This mechanism will be implemented across India on a trial basis to spot out counterfeit drugs.
 
Under this proposal, the company will print a unique number on each strip or bottle of the drug. It will also print a phone number where the customer can dial and enter the aforesaid unique number and get the name and address of the manufacturer, the batch number, manufacturing and expiry date of the medicine.
 
According to a study by the World Health Organization (WHO) in November last year, about 10 per cent of the medicines consumed in low- and middle-income countries, including India, are “substandard and falsified”. In February last year, a two-year-long nationwide survey was conducted under the supervision of the Central government, which found that around 10 per cent of the drugs in the government supply chain are “not of standard quality”. This survey found around 3 per cent of drugs in retail supply chain substandard.
 
A meeting notice issued by office of the DCGI states that the June 25 meeting will discuss the “modalities” on how to implement this proposal. The notice added: “The top 300 brands have been identified based on moving annual total (MAT) data provided by AIOCD AWACS.” The AIOCD AWACS is a pharmaceutical market research company formed by All Indian Origin Chemists & Distributors Ltd.
 
The Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB), in its meeting on May 16, deliberated this matter and agreed for introduction of trace and track mechanism for top 300 pharmaceuticals brands on voluntary basis.”The Board informed that an order may be issued by DCGI to all the concerned to this effect,” stated the minutes of the meeting.The Indian Express