Pharma association to set up task force to regulate sale of drugs

In the wake of the expired drugs racket unearthed recently, the Tamil Nadu Pharmaceutical Distributors Association (TNPDA) is planning a pharmacy protection force to gather intelligence and keep a check on malpractices.


In March, drug control department officials busted a major racket involving the sale of expired drugs. Several cartons of such drugs, re-labelled and stocked in an apartment in Purasawalkam, were seized. Worth several lakhs, they were to be sent to medical stores across the city.

The kingpin, Meenakshi Sundaram, and a few others were arrested and chief minister M Karunanidhi ordered the health and police departments to crack down on racketeers across the state. He asked them to conduct joint raids on manufacturing centres of spurious drugs and also on shops where fake drugs were sold.

"None of the members of our association was involved in the racket. But we want to keep a check. Due to the fault of some, many good persons are forced to leave the industry. We do not want this to continue," said Suresh Ranka, a TNPDA member.

TNPDA zonal secretary P Elango said the Pharma task force would mainly comprise members from the association. "We are planning to have two members in each district who will monitor the medicine sales and distribution there," he said.

Any member coming across a case of malpractice will have to inform the TNPDA headquarters which will then take it to the notice of the police or the state drugs control department. "We have 1,400 members and want to ensure that fair trade happens across the state. Issues like selling expired or spurious drugs will not take place once this system is in place," he added.

Another issue of concern is the pricing of medicines which affects the consumers adversely. According to the All India Chemists and Druggists Federation (AICDF), only 74 types of medicines are listed in the Drug Price Control Order (DPCO). Nearly 324 medicines do not feature in it.

AICDF president Kailash Gupta said the centre was working on including the 324 medicines in the DPCO under the new drug policy expected in 2011.

AICDF secretary A N Mohan said: "As of now, manufacturers have the liberty to fix prices for the 324 types of medicines. If they are included in the DPCO, the pricing would be as per the directions of the government. Medicines for cancer and HIV, directly bought by the hospitals from manufacturers, should also be brought under the DPCO. This way the poor can also buy them," he added.

He also said that nearly 90 % of medicine packets did not have leaflets carrying intructions of usage. "The government should make it mandatory for manufacturers to include these leaflets," he said.