The government is hoping to see the implementation of the track and trace system for domestic and export supply chain in another one year as the National Informatics Centre (NIC) is on the task.

The NIC is preparing a software and it is likely to be finalised and implemented in nine months, going by the latest inputs to the commerce ministry. Once implemented, it will be able to track the drugs all throughout the domestic supply chain, senior official from the commerce ministry disclosed.

Apart from helping the domestic market, the system will be used to ensure the quality of drugs being exported from the country upto the point of port.   This will work as the technological authentication, along with the bardcoding system now in force for exports on secondary and tertiary packaging.

Though the report by a task force set up by the health ministry was submitted way back in 2012, no final decision was taken for a long time on its implementation. Now the government is learnt to have decided to go for the mechanism that would help any customer to trace all details of the product by reading the barcode with the help of devices like mobile.

However, the move has been faced with stiff opposition from a section of the industry and also the agencies like the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) which felt that the system was found to be inadequate and less comprehensive.

The task force, headed by Dr H G Koshia, had recommended the adoption of SMS model and unique identification code as an ideal method for the track and trace system as it was found to be more viable and affordable to the industry.

 “The task force, after detailed deliberation on the issue of track and trace and UID authentication, was of the considered view that in a country like India where multiple products are manufactured by a large number of companies, this would be a boon if applied. Initially there would be problems of application due to various reasons including financial and technical issues, but a beginning should be made so that ultimately the benefits of the system is available to all,” the task force said.