In a major suggestion that may help regulate the drug distribution system, the Union government has been urged to launch an online registration forum for all drugs manufacturing and marketing companies, both domestic and foreign, which are engaged in the production and marketing of medicines in the country.

The proposal, originated from Kerala, focusses attention primarily on the distribution system of the state and wants a complete description about the drugs being dispensed to the patients there.  It also suggests that the online registration will help all people to have access to every kind of medicines and knowledge about their technical aspects.

The proposal was made to the government by Dr KG Revikumar, director of the Kerala Institute of Drug Studies (KIDS), who while speaking to Pharmabiz, said the online forum needs to be incorporated the batch numbers and chemical particulars of the medicines supplied for distribution by each company.  His proposal focuses on a transparent drug distribution for the entire country on the lines of registrations introduced by states like UP, Haryana and Punjab which have already launched online registrations for manufacturing and marketing companies.

If government of India advises all states to launch such online forums, every state will have online records for information of all the drugs being distributed to their people. The patients as well as the medical community can easily find out where the drugs are available, the batch numbers of each product and its expiry date.

Further, it will provide information about how many of the products already manufactured by a company which has acquired authorisation for manufacture of a large quantum, how much quantity it supplied to a distributor, its MRP and the prices it agrees with the dealers.

Dr Revikumar says that the government should initiate measures to avert ways to introduce more batches of medicines from the same companies and importing drugs through illegal methods. According to him, the online registration will help to check all kinds of malpractices by any company.  Likewise, the government can control the new dealers.

Several drugs are subjected for studies. The online forum will provide details about how many drugs are taken for studies, he added.