Govt may mandate QR codes to check fake cancer drugs
cancer drugs, a bid to prevent counterfeits and validate the authenticity of medicines after incidents of refilling of expensive anti-cancer drugs with counterfeit drugs came to light.
The proposal was discussed in a recent meeting of the Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB), India's highest advisory body on drugs, which deliberated on the matter and agreed to it, said people familiar with the matter. The implementation of the proposal will, however, require an amendment to Schedule H2 of Drugs Rules, 1945, and therefore will be sent to the health ministry soon, they said.
The board was informed that criminals in collusion with hospital pharmacies were found refilling empty vials of expensive anti-cancer medicines with counterfeit drugs. These fake drugs were then mixed with genuine stocks and sold to unsuspecting cancer patients, putting their life at risk.
«These anti-cancer drugs must be issued under strict directives to implement mandatory QR codes and rigorous track and trace mechanisms on every vial and strip of medication that are marketed in India,» said the minutes of the meeting. Accordingly, it was proposed that the rules be amended.
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