What is the difference between spurious and adulterated drugs?

Spurious drugs: These are counterfeit or fake drugs that may contain no active ingredients or may contain incorrect or insufficient amounts of active ingredients. Adulterated drugs: These are drugs that have been diluted or contaminated with impurities, making them ineffective or potentially harmful.

What are the consequences of consuming spurious or adulterated drugs?

These drugs can be ineffective in treating the intended medical condition. They can cause serious side effects, including allergic reactions, organ damage, and even death. They can delay proper medical treatment, leading to worsening health conditions.

Parliamentary Panel demands swift action on Spurious Drugs

The Health Master

December 23, 2024

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Parliamentary Panel demands swift action on Spurious Drugs — Spurious Drugs

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Last Updated on December 23, 2024 by The Health Master

Parliamentary Panel

The Parliamentary Standing Committee (Parliamentary Panel) on Chemicals and Fertilisers has expressed deep concern over the alarming rate of spurious and adulterated drugs in India.

In a scathing report, the Parliamentary Panel has demanded immediate action to curb this menace.

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The report highlighted several critical areas, including:

Low Conviction Rates: Despite a large number of drug samples testing positive for substandard quality, the conviction rate for manufacturers remains abysmally low.
Loopholes in Government Procurement: A significant portion of substandard drugs originate from government sources, indicating serious flaws in procurement processes.
Lack of Clarity on Distribution Rules: The report emphasized the need for clear guidelines and robust enforcement mechanisms for the entire drug distribution chain.

Conviction Rate Crisis:

The report revealed that between 2015-16 and 2018-19, nearly 9,859 drug samples were found to be either spurious or substandard.

However, 35 convictions were secured in these cases, translating to an extremely low conviction rate.

The Committee expressed its disappointment with the lack of a centralized database for tracking convictions, hindering effective monitoring and enforcement.

Procurement Under Scrutiny:

The Parliamentary Panel raised serious concerns about the high prevalence of substandard drugs procured by government agencies.

The National Survey of Drugs (2014-16) revealed that 10% of samples from government sources were substandard, compared to only 3% from private sources.

This stark difference points towards significant loopholes in government procurement procedures, including:

Lack of stringent quality checks: Inadequate quality control measures during the procurement process may be allowing substandard drugs (NSQ drugs) to enter the government supply chain.
Lack of transparency: The procurement process may lack transparency and accountability, making it difficult to identify and address issues.

Demand for Clarity on Distribution Rules:

The Committee emphasized the crucial role of a robust and well-regulated drug distribution system in ensuring the quality and safety of medicines.

However, the report noted that the government has not provided sufficient clarity on the enforceability of rules governing the distribution of medicines to government agencies.

Key Demands of the Parliamentary Panel:

Stringent Action Against Offenders: The Parliamentary Panel demanded swift and exemplary punishments for manufacturers of spurious and adulterated drugs.
Improved Data Collection and Analysis: Establishment of a centralized database to track convictions and analyze trends in drug quality.
Investigation into Government Procurement: A thorough investigation into the reasons behind the high prevalence of substandard drugs in government sources.
Clearer Distribution Guidelines: Formulation and strict enforcement of clear guidelines and regulations for the entire drug distribution chain.

Also read following FAQs

What is the difference between spurious and adulterated drugs?

Spurious drugs: These are counterfeit or fake drugs that may contain no active ingredients or may contain incorrect or insufficient amounts of active ingredients.
Adulterated drugs: These are drugs that have been diluted or contaminated with impurities, making them ineffective or potentially harmful.
What are the consequences of consuming spurious or adulterated drugs?

These drugs can be ineffective in treating the intended medical condition.
They can cause serious side effects, including allergic reactions, organ damage, and even death.
They can delay proper medical treatment, leading to worsening health conditions.

Disclaimer: This article contains information derived from the source mentioned below. Our team utilized an AI language model to rewrite and present the news or article in a unique format.

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