Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit has suggested introduction of trade mark on the lines of ISI for the allopathic, Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani medicines as the All India Drugs Control Officers Confederation (AIDCOC) called for concerted efforts by all stakeholders to stamp out the spurious drugs trade.

Addressing a seminar here recently on ‘measures to combat spurious/counterfeit drugs’, organised by the Delhi Drugs Control Department in association with AIDCOC, the Chief Minister said there should be trade mark for all drugs to ensure the quality and thereby checking the menace of spurious/fake drugs.

“Delhi is primarily a distribution centre, but is so crucial for the entire North Indian region as hub for distribution. Bhagirath Place, the hot bed of spurious drugs, had its ups and down. We will tackle it sternly and there will be no dearth for money and men on the part of the government to fight it” she said.

She also disclosed that an action plan will be prepared to check the spurious trade. There is a need for adequate testing laboratories to ensure that suspected samples are tested expeditiously, she added.

Delhi health minister Prof Kiran Walia said the Delhi experience of separating the licensing and enforcement in the drug control department had yielded positive results. “We cannot mess around with the quality of drugs,’’ she said, while suggesting toll-free helpline to receive complaints on spurious drugs.

The seminar called for concerted efforts by all stakeholders to tackle the issue of spurious/substandard drugs. “We have laws and rules every time and they are being strengthened whenever needed. The problem is with the implementation and challenges are many. It is a clandestine activity and cases are not noticed in routine inspections,’’ AIDCOC director general S W Deshpande said.