The small state of Goa, one of the major tourism destinations in India, is also a major pharmaceutical producer in the country with an annual production of over Rs.2800 crore in a year. About one-tenth of the pharma production comes from Goa every year, and over Rs.550 crore worth drugs are exported every year.

S N Tripathi, director, Goa Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) is one of the senior most drug controllers in India. A B.Pharm graduate from BITS Pilani, he took his post graduation in pharmacology from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and later took an LLB degree. Tripathi joined FDA Goa in 1981 after eight years working in the pharmaceutical production field. He is director, FDA Goa since January, 1992.

Excerpts from a telephonic interview with PB Jayakumar:

Could you provide us an overview of the pharmaceutical industry in Goa…

Goa has been an attractive destination for pharmaceutical production for many years and numerous units are coming up here for the last 4-5 years. Now we have around 403 units including loan-licensed units, with about 295 registered pharmaceutical producers in the state of Goa. Of this, 108 are independent units. In the ISM sector, we have only nine manufacturers. Many of the leading pharmaceutical companies in the country have production facilities in Goa. As a result, we produce about one-tenth of the pharma production in India, valued about Rs.2800 crore. Out of this, about Rs.550 crore worth drugs are for exports, which is a major contribution to the overall pharmaceutical exports from India.

What is the structure of Goa drug control administration? Is it adequate to handle the drug control activities in the state?

Under the Director, we have two deputy drug controllers, three assistant drug controllers, seven drug inspectors and one technical personnel. Altogether, we have 130 staff working under the Food and Drug Control Administration, including 12 food inspectors. When compared to many other states, the size of DCA is small. The actual requirement of staff to meet day-to-day needs is manifold considering the size of the pharma industry here. However, we work within our limitations with maximum efficiency to produce best results. Our department licensed about 3000 drugs in 2004-05, in comparison to only 1000 odd during 2000-01.

What is the level of Schedule M compliance in the state?

Schedule M compliance is not an issue in the state as we had strictly implemented the norms while licensing the units. As of date only 18 units do not comply with the revised Schedule M guidelines. Six units have been closed as we had clearly indicated non-compliant units would not be allowed to continue since the rules come into force. Now the remaining 13 units are in the process of completing the modernization process. I think these units would be able to comply with the rules within a month's time.

What about the prevalence of spurious drugs and irrational drug combinations in Goa?

In the last five years we have not come across any spurious drug manufactured in Goa. This means we have been successful in maintaining Goa as a spurious drug free state for the last five years. In the case of irrational drugs, we don't license any irrational drug combinations and insist on DG's clearance for allowing any new drugs in the state.

What is the drug trade scenario in Goa?

Here we have about 850 lice-nsed traders, including wholesale traders. We go by the rule book in sanctioning new outlets and is strict in regulating the sector with periodic inspections.

The drug-testing laboratory at Goa is being modernised. Kindly elaborate …

The food testing laboratory and the drug testing laboratory at Margoa is being modernised under the capacity building assistance programme funded by the World Bank to the central government. By this, both the laboratories will have major expansion and modernisation. Rs.2 crore has been sanctioned for setting up the civil infrastructure, Rs.One crore each for food and the drug testing laboratories and Rs.2.5 crore has been earmarked for purchasing the equipment. Both the laboratories will have new buildings and will be able to test more samples. Unlike other drug testing laboratories, narcotics and samples of liquor seized by police are also tested in our laboratory.