The Drug Control Administration (DCA) of Tamil Nadu is planning to form an exclusive intelligence cell to track presence of spurious drugs from the state soon.

The three member cell, with participation from the zonal offices, will monitor the movement of spurious drugs entering into Tamil Nadu from other states, collect the information on malpractices of the companies inside the state, and will co-ordinate raids for spurious drugs, according to N Selvaraju, Drugs Controller (in-charge), DCA.

The intelligence wing, to be set up within one month, will observe and collect data from the manufacturing companies, which operate their plants in wee hours, to curb the production of spurious drugs inside the state. The new cell would have separate identity from the already existing intelligence wing, which have a feeble strength at present.

"The authority's aim by setting up the new cell is to arrest the supply of spurious drugs from the markets within one week from the entry of the drug in the state. We are sure that the new steps will enable us to curb the prevalence of spurious drugs in the state soon," Selvaraju told Pharmabiz.

The DCA has already asked the traders to issue purchase bill to the consumers as a compulsory trade practice, to help the authority to track down the culprits in spurious drug cases, and is also planning awareness classes to the consumers highlighting the importance of getting purchase bill from the drug retailers.

The administration, has issued 59 sanctions for prosecution in the last two months including cases of spurious drugs, violation of condition of license and manufacturing of substandard drugs, whereas the total number of 151 cases were filed in the financial year 2005-06 in the state. It is to be noted that the Union Health Ministry has recently informed that the value of spurious drugs seized from Tamil Nadu was approximately around Rs 4, 15000 in the year 2004-05.