Counterfeit Drugs: Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance Appeals for Stronger Regulations

Counterfeit Drugs: A Growing Concern

Counterfeit drugs present a significant danger to consumer safety and public health. The Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA), representing major drug manufacturers, is advocating for law enforcement agencies to be granted greater powers to combat the proliferation of counterfeit drugs. In their recent petition to the Supreme Court, the IPA is urging the government to formulate clear guidelines for registering First Information Reports (FIRs) and outlining the procedures involved in arresting individuals involved in the production and sale of counterfeit drugs.

Challenges in Enforcement

Recent allegations have surfaced indicating that police forces are often reluctant to collaborate with state drug inspectors in tackling this serious issue. This reluctance was exacerbated by a 2020 Supreme Court ruling that restricted police actions against counterfeit drug manufacturers. Due to these constraints, drug inspectors lack the necessary support and training to effectively confront operations producing counterfeit drugs. As a result, the absence of stringent enforcement has inadvertently contributed to a notable increase in counterfeit and spurious drugs on the market.

Response from the Industry

• The IPA represents companies like Torrent, Sun Pharma, and others.
• In August, a crackdown by regulators discovered that over 50 well-known brands were found to be 'not of standard quality' (NSQ).
• Manufacturers denying involvement stress that these low-quality products are instead produced by illegitimate sources.

To address the growing misconception surrounding NSQ drugs, the IPA emphasizes that these products, although ineffective, should not be conflated with counterfeit drugs that are entirely devoid of active ingredients.