Karnataka's new drugs controller Dr. Suresh Kunhi Muhammed (IPS) is all set to wield his baton to end corruption, groupism, ensure complete efficiency, effectiveness and transform it into an accessible and citizen-centric department of drugs control.

The medical-doctor-turned-police officer of Superintendent of Police (SP) rank, who hails from Kerala joined as Drugs Controller, government of Karnataka on Monday June 16, 2003. In the last five days of his tenure, Dr. Muhammed is drawing up a plan to see that the department is known for its integrity, prompt service and is free of bribes.

The main aim of the department is to certify quality drugs at right prices, Dr. Suresh Kunhi Muhammed told Pharmabiz.com, "It is a bit too early to state my concrete plans for the department and I would be in a position to disclose the same within a fortnight," he said.

"This department has been maintaining a reasonably good image in the country all these years but for a bad patch in the last three months that needs to cleaned up," said Dr. Muhammed.

"The drugs control department needs to be reorganised on all fronts and the starting point is to stop corruption. All issues including spurious drugs, speedier drug test reports, issues of trade licenses, ban on accepting bribes etc need to be handled simultaneously," asserted the Drugs Controller who plans to administer the department like a Police Superintendent, he was in his previous posting.

The drugs controller is also in the process of looking into the department's store room, cold storage facility and the drugs test lab, apart from finding ways to decrease the time taken for the drug testing procedures.

On the private drug-testing labs, which are being recommended strongly by the government of Karnataka, Dr. Muhammed said, "There are several limitations in hiring private laboratories for the purpose of drug testing. It is not possible to approve the reports of the drug quality if it is tested in private labs because these are not accepted in the Court of Law. We could utilise the services of private laboratories only to withdraw the drugs from the market, if they are found to be spurious as it comes under the purview of the State drugs controller and not prosecute the culprit unless it is tested in the State drug testing lab."