The Karnataka drugs control department has chalked out an aggressive plan to ensure that spurious and adulterated drugs are completely eliminated from the pharmacy supply chain in the state. In this regard, it has submitted a proposal to the state government for an allocation of funds to oversee the eradication of spurious drugs. It has also mooted a reward to a drugs control officer engaged in the exercise. The department will also be strengthened with 26 inspectors taking the total number of inspectors to 59 in the next few weeks.

A three-pronged strategy will help to strengthen its inspectorate teams, embark on intensive training to detect and conduct regular surprise inspections on pharmacy outlets and production plants for detection of spurious drugs, besides fast-tracking the construction of its additional drug testing labs at Hubli and Bellary expected to be commissioned within 18 months.

A Karnataka State Intelligence branch created within the state drugs control office in Bangalore now has an Additional drugs controller supported by an assistant drugs controller and five inspectors. In addition, five regional offices are created at the drugs control offices in Bangalore, Mysore, Hubli, Bellary and Gulbarga where deputy drugs controller is in-charge and an intelligence inspector at each division to carry out surprise inspections.

Following a proposal from the Karnataka drugs controller Dr BR Jagashetty, the All India Drugs Control Officers Confederation will now conduct a massive educational exercise for 15 officials from the state in Mumbai in February/March 2010. Of the 15 officials, 10 are inspectors from the State Intelligence branch attached to the State drugs control department and five are senior officials from the department. The study will provide the candidates on the latest amendments in the Drugs & Cosmetics Act with regards to spurious and misbranded drugs.

The total requirement of inspectors in the department is pegged between 150 and 180. Currently, the state has 33 inspectors. Another 26 inspectors who have qualified the Karnataka Public Service Commission exams are expected to join the department in February. They will undergo intensive training for six months. We are in discussions with the Karnataka Police Academy to impart coaching/training, Dr Jagashetty told Pharmabiz.

Compared to other states, Karnataka is way ahead in conducting regular inspections to keep spurious drugs at bay. If companies or pharmacy outlets are found to produce or vend spurious drugs immediate action will be initiated. However, we will need to further augment the inspections with additional personnel, he added.

In order to provide drug test reports at a faster pace, the department has appointed 9 junior scientific officers for the Drug Test Lab selected under KPSC posting. They are Class II Gazette officers on par with Drug Inspector category in pay scale and status. The nine officers (M Pharm graduates) would undergo a three to five days each training to be held at leading government drug test labs in the country in February/March. However a consent from the directors of respective DTLs are awaited.

Within a fortnight another 16 officers of the same grade will be joining the department. A proposal has been sent to state government to allow the candidates to undergo a six weeks course at the recently commissioned Pharmaceutical Training Institute in Bangalore. The KPSC has notified a total of 65 junior scientific officers who will be selected in the coming months, said Dr Jagashetty.