L toR: Kempaiah Suresh, secretary organising committee, H Jayaram, additional controller, Karnataka, Ravi Uday Bhaskar, president, AIDCOC, Minister for health and family welfare, government of Karnataka Kagodu Thimmappa, R Anand Rajashekar, drugs controller, government of Karnataka and S H Anigudi, president, Drugs Department Enforcement Officers association

Minister for health and family welfare, government of Karnataka, Kagodu Thimmappa said that all pharmacists and regulatory bodies should keep a close watch on the trade of spurious drugs in the State. The menace of spurious drugs is damaging the image of the country in the global market. As a result the drugs manufactured in India are losing their credibility. Inspite of the cheap cost of drugs compared to other developing countries in the world, it was a paradox that Indian drugs are considered sub-standard and spurious drugs. The State government has launched a drive against price violations by manufacturers, informed the health minister.

According to R Anand Rajashekar, drugs controller, government of Karnataka, there is a need to improve the storage and refrigeration of medicines in the retail and whole sector. The lack a qualified pharmacist manning counters at retail outlets is also a serious issue The State Drugs Control department is making efforts to also clamp down spurious drugs sale, he added.

Lauding the efforts of the State pharmacy educational institutes, H Jayaram, additional controller, Karnataka drugs control department and chairman, Local Organising Committee, said that there were 85 pharmacy colleges in the state and the Government college of pharmacy was instrumental in graduating several pharmacists who have sought jobs in the various pharma companies in the State. So far 700 B Pharm and 450 M Pharm have successfully graduated.

In the keynote address, Dr. Sarang N Iyer, pharma QA& GMP consultant highlighted the need for good manufacturing practises and instead on documentation of all procedures to avoid any slip ups in manufacturing, storage and packaging.

The other speakers included Ravi Uday Bhaskar, president, AIDCOC, S W Deshpande, secretary general AIDCOC Kempaiah Suresh, secretary organising committee and S H Anigudi, president, Drugs Department Enforcement Officers Association.

On the occasion, the AIDCOC took the opportunity to award the best drugs inspectors from each state apart from honouring the drugs inspectors from Karnataka and the retired enforcement officers.