The Andhra Pradesh Drugs Control Administration (APDCA) is all set to tighten drug administration in the state by effectively stopping the manufacture and sale of adulterated, Not of Standard Quality (NSQ), habit making and spurious drugs in the state. The department is also gearing up to ensure the availability of drugs at prices fixed by National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA).

The DCA will also be looking at the blood collected and sold by the commercial blood banks in the state as number of complaints prevails in this regard. The department is keen on encouraging setting up of blood storage points all over the state to make available pure blood, R Ranga Rao, the new director of APDCA told Pharmabiz, while revealing his future course of action.

Rao, who took the charge of the director of DCA in June, 2004, said that the drugs department is currently evaluating ways of bringing closer the Indian Medical Association and various NGOs with itself to increase awareness on the correct usage of drugs and discourage its misuse. Once this is in place, manufacturers in the state will not be producing NSQ or spurious drugs.

The DCA is keen and concerned over strengthening of the existing task force so that more intelligence and information flow can be ensured. The team would lay due emphasis on immediate control of substandard drugs by being more vigilant. The department has made itself powerful and is today able to catch the manufacturers who are following unethical practices and get them punished, irrespective of whether they operate within the state or outside, Rao added.

He continued, the department will also take up necessary legal and administrative action on pharma companies in the state that are functioning as bases for manufacture or development of narcotics drugs.

The DCA is yet to receive any specific feedback from DCGI on the kind of role the department can play in the conduct of clinical trials in the state. The department has made some recommendations recently in order to make it aware of the clinical trials that are carried in the state.