The Indian drug control authorities have asked African countries to prescribe stricter rules regarding import of drugs from India. It has asked the buyer to prevent the entry of fake drugs into the importer country by introducing suitable specifications in government tenders.

Referring to the reports of some Indian pharmaceutical companies being black listed by African nations, the government has made it clear that Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has laid down quality specifications of individual products or Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP).

"All the units manufacturing drugs, for any purpose whether for domestic consumption or for exports, have to adhere to strict standards at every stage as laid down by the respective State Governments. Due to India`s enormous size and diversity, the Central Government only lays down certain ground rules and makes the State Governments the sole implementing authority, on behalf of the Central Government. The Maharashtra State Government further advised African Countries to prescribe stricter rules regarding import of drugs.", the government has clarified.

The latest of such news about detection and confiscation of spurious drugs allegedly meant for exporting to African countries, came from Mumbai where the Food & Drugs Authorities (FDA) came to know about the alleged clandestine activities of Zo Pharma, MIDC Ambernath, Maharashtra. Keeping track of the consignments received by this firm the authorities had found out that spurious material was being supplied to them from `OM SAI` Warehouse situated at Bivandi-Kashali and the products confiscated included duplicates of Ildeen (Pfizer), Sypracasin (Bayer), Pamadol (Smithklineglaxo), Superaptic (Unigrass) Chemokleen (Park Devis) Gentil (Rosh) Cratex (Zanika) and Viagra (Pfizer). According to the central authorities, Maharashtra FDA is now pursuing the case with CID Branch.

It was about two years back the first report of blacklisting surfaced the country. This was when the Nigerian High Commission of India informed that the National Agency for Food and Drugs Control, Nigeria had black listed some Indian companies for producing fake and substandard drugs and importing them into Nigeria.