The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : DCA to keep watch on units making drug labels

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Aug 13, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

DCA to keep watch on units making drug labels

M. Sai Gopal

Units manufacture
look-alike packaging material
Presently no regulatory control over similar units

HYDERABAD: Drug Control Administration (DCA) of Hyderabad has hit upon a new idea to checkmate the spurious drug manufacturers. In addition to continuing raids against spurious drug makers, the officials have now decided to keep a close tab on units involved in making drug labels and cartons.

Officials feel such a move would go a long way in checking the menace of spurious drugs. Hitherto officials were only concentrating on seizure of spurious drugs and registering cases against peddlers and manufacturers. They point out that allied industries, like drug packaging, labelling and printing, are to be brought under the ambit of regulations being enforced. “The fake drug maker does not invest huge amounts on technology development for packaging. They opt for easier and ready-made methods, which are already present locally,” said DCA Director-General R. P Meena.

Presently, there is no regulatory control over packaging units. DCA is trying to put in place a framework that would make it mandatory for the drug foils, labels and carton manufacturers to register with the authority. “We do not have a list of packaging units in Hyderabad and Ranga Reddy district. We are now preparing a list and registration of such units would be made mandatory,” informed DCA Director R. Ranga Rao.

Booking possiblities

Those involved in unauthorised printing of labels, cartons and aluminium drug foils can be booked under the law. “We would consider activity as a cognisable offence and initiate legal action,” Mr. Rao said.

Experts say that that it’s the small scale manufacturers who print look-alike packaging material with minor changes in spellings of drug names. “On detailed examination only, one would be able to differentiate between the genuine and fake. We feel that once these foils manufacturing units come under control, counterfeiters could also be controlled,” Mr. Meena said.

. “Even Ayurveda medicines are duplicated by foil makers. Over the counter drugs that do need prescriptions are frequently duplicated drugs,” officials said.

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