Even after 25 years since it was first demanded, the state level drug testing laboratory is yet to become operational in the north-eastern state of Assam which is adversely affecting the sampling and testing of drugs in the state.

Even though there is a Regional Drug Testing Lab (RDTL) in the state at Guwahati, the state is currently facing the problem of sampling and testing of drugs as one drug sample takes almost a month or two to get tested from this only operational lab in the state.

"The demand for setting up of a state drug testing lab was raised in 1988 and North Eastern Council (NEC) supported the demand but the lab is yet to see the light of the day. If the state government expedites the project, the lab can be operational in another six months time," concludes Prasanna Kumar Sarma, vice president, Assam Pharmacy Council (APC).

Meanwhile, the state level drug testing lab in the state is under construction at Guwahati, it is not likely to be operational before the end of 2014.

Says an official of the state drug control department, Assam, "Though there is an NABL accredited Government Drug Testing Laboratory (DTL) supported under the centrally sponsored scheme of quality control of Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homoeopathic (ASU&H) drugs at Government Ayurvedic College, Guwahati, but it lacks adequate infrastructure for testing allopathic medicines."

There is one Assistant Drug Controller, one Joint Drug Controller, one Deputy Drug Controller, 17 drug inspectors and seven senior drug inspectors across the state. The drug regulatory mechanism in the state is responsive enough but the sub standard, spurious and not of standard drugs need to be tested for efficacy for their timely recall from the market, which a dedicated state drug testing lab can only manage to do.