Perturbed by the negative image being projected outside about the Indian industry as a hub of spurious drugs, the Commerce Ministry wants to find a permanent solution to the issue by creating some system with the help of the industry or through the DGFT.

At a high-level meeting held recently, the commerce secretary made it clear that he wanted a permanent solution to the problem. He backed the idea presented by the representative of Bilcare about introducing a technology on traceability of medicines through radio frequency.

However, he asked the Pharmexcil to work out a more feasible plan to put an end to the problem of spurious medicines. Or else, the ministry would be forced to implement the idea of traceability through DGFT which will be made mandatory for all exporting pharmaceutical units, he warned.

Representative of Bilcare gave presentation at the meeting regarding traceability of medicines through radio frequency technology from the moment the medicine is despatched from the factory to where it will be consumed. The company said it will cost Rs 1.50 on a strip of 10 tabs additionally. The firm had earlier pushed this idea with the office of the scientific advisor to the Prime Minister and the Department of Pharmaceuticals. But the SME pharma sector was not much happy about the option as this technology was not approved anywhere in the world.

The SME sector felt that the realities about spurious drugs, based on the official findings, were in sharp contrast to the projections made in the international media. They claimed that it was held at the behest of some big multinationals to suppress the SME units and the government should make a permanent mechanism to counter such malicious campaigns instead of putting added pressure on the units in the form of new technology or formalities.

The high-level meeting also saw the Pharmexcil giving a presentation regarding India' current share at global market and the opportunity that can be tapped in various spheres - in complex API, complex formulation, peptides etc. The meeting also discussed how the industry has to counter Chinese threat and also promote cluster working group by taking help of institutes like NIPER for technological advancement. Ministry of commerce has a scheme that can give funds to a cluster of pharma companies for common infrastructure such as testing, improving infrastructure such as water purification, power etc, it was pointed out.