Karnataka Indian Medicine Manufacturers' Association (KIMMA) has taken strong objection to the improper functioning of the Government Drug Testing Laboratory(DTL) in Karnataka. The irregularities in purchase of Ayurveda Siddha Unani (ASU) drugs under State budget and the Central Sponsored scheme and National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) have also come under criticism.

The DTL must function as a separate entity and it should have the regulatory powers for drug approval. Although the Union government has sufficiently funded the State DTL, it is now attached to Government Central Pharmacy, the manufacturing unit run by Karnataka Directorate of Ayush. For all legal purposes, State DTL should now operate as an independent set-up and under the administrative control of the Karnataka Directorate of Ayush, stated JSD Pani, president, KIMMA.

He further pointed out that government analyst notified by the State government under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act reports to the Government central Pharmacy and this is incorrect.

KIMMA now calls for separation of the DTL from the Government Central Pharmacy and to bring it under the administrative control of the State Ayush Directorate. This will provide the Government analyst and the DTL a legal status required under the Drugs & Cosmetics Act.

The Association is pressing the need to ensure that the ASU industry can utilize the services of DTL as a one-stop approved lab to test the raw materials and finished products on payment of reasonable fees.

Another issue highlighted by the KIMMA was that the state government was purchasing ASU drugs for free distribution in government dispensaries/ hospitals under the financial control of Zilla pancahyats and for college hospitals under the control of Aysuh Directorate. For this purpose, in addition to the State budget there is also assistance from the Central Government. NRHM also provides funds to purchase ASU medicines to Primary Health Centres having Ayush doctors. In the case of classical formulations, there are no guidelines available for procuring proprietary ASU medicines. This has led to purchase of irrelevant, irrational and substandard formulations.

The state government should constitute a high level technical committee to identify the formulations (not the products in brand names) or to formulate the new formulations for various diseases taking into account the regional requirement of these proprietary medicines. The indenting authorities may be advised to invite tenders for supply of only these proprietary formulations recommended by this high level technical committee.

In order to curb the practice of the irrelevant, irrational and substandard ASU medicines purchase by listing out the proprietary formulations, the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement Act can be enforced during drug procurement and disbursement. This will help to prevent malpractices and corruption during procurement of ASU medicines added Pani.