Even as the industry to a large extent remained apprehensive about the possible burden involved, the Union Commerce Ministry has indicated that it will not further push the deadline or have a rethink about the implementation of  barcoding for pharmaceutical exports, at least for the time now.

“We had extensive meetings with all stakeholders and took six months to get consensus on the matter. We have pushed the deadline again, and accommodated all concerns of the industry. Now the responsibility is on the industry to implement it,” said Commerce Secretary Rahul Khullar.

While addressing the industry leaders at a seminar here on Tuesday held by PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, he went further to add that the logical extension of the barcoding will be in the domestic sector and urged the Departments of Pharmaceuticals and Health to consider it.

Justifying the track and trace barcoding system, he said it was the kind of certification meant for consumer safety. “Besides, it will also help to make available affordable drugs by showing that generics are cheap but not fake,” he said.

Citing the trade angle, he argued for the implementation of barcoding that would give credibility to the generics going out of India in the international market. “There is a huge opportunity for Indian generics in the global market that is set for big expansion. The recession and the pressure on health budgets by the countries would force them to switch over to quality generics. They may try to erect barriers to crush this huge opportunity and the barcoding will be one of the tools for the Indian industry to stand upto this challenge and tell the world that Indian generics are of quality,” he said.

Speaking on the occasion, Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Health L C Goyal supported introduction of barcodes. “All of us are socially, morally and economically bound to ensure high quality drugs, and now we have set the deadline to implement this barcoding,” he said.

Goyal also claimed that it would not bring in much burden on the industry as the track and trace system could improve the supply chain and inventory management, thus offsetting the additional costs involved in the long run.  “By improving inventory management, the companies will be saving enough to adjust against the additional costs due to barcoding,” he pointed out.

Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) Dr Surinder Singh also wanted the industry to adopt the system to align with evolving global measures against fake drugs. “We have to be adaptable to the changes but transition time will be given to the industry,” Singh said, adding that countries like Malaysia and China had already introduced the same.

According to the DGFT notification in this regard, the system would be implemented in a phased manner from October 1, 2011 on tertiary packing, instead of the earlier stipulated date of July 1, 2011. The compulsory implementation of track and trace system on secondary level packaging will be in effect from January 1, 2012 and that on primary packing from July 1, 2012, thus giving another one year window period for the industry.