New Delhi, Feb 3 (PTI) The Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) along with State Licensing Authority has investigated the circulation of batch specific spurious rabies vaccine in India, resulting in arrest of one person, Minister of State for Health Anupriya Patel told the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.
The probe was conducted based on a complaint received from M/s. Human Biologicals Institute, a division of Indian Immunologicals Limited, Patel said in a written reply.
The minister said the manufacturing spurious, adulterated and not of standard quality (NSQ) drugs is a punishable offence under the provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. The Act empowers the concerned licensing authorities to take necessary legal action in such cases including cases of manufacture, sale, and distribution of any prohibited or banned drug, Patel explained.
To monitor drug availability, the Union Health Ministry uses the Drug and Vaccine Distribution Management System (DVDMS) under the National Health Mission (NHM). This web-based supply chain management system manages the purchase, supply, distribution and inventory management of various drugs, sutures, surgical and consumable items.
It has an inbuilt provision of monitoring and checking the availability of medicine at all facilities at district and state level, Patel said.
Patel said the CDSCO has issued guidelines on "Recall and Rapid Alert System for Drugs" (including Biologicals and Vaccines). Further, draft guidelines on good distribution practices for pharmaceutical products is also published for ensuring quality of drugs in the supply chain. These guidelines are available on the CDSCO website.
A proposal to affix bar code or quick response (QR) codes on other drug formulation products was deliberated in the 90th Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB) meeting held on January 25, 2024. The board has agreed to the proposal to extend the provision of QR code to all vaccine products and to all antimicrobials, narcotic and psychotropic substances in a phase manner, Patel said.