Question : Spurious Drugs in Government Hospital

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

(a) whether it is a fact that spurious drugs have been found to be in use for patients in certain Government hospitals in the country;

(b) if so, the details thereof and the enormity of this menace;

(c) whether the Government has been buying such fake drugs from companies which have either been banned or blacklisted; and

(d) if so, the details thereof, inter-alia, indicating the action plan of the Government to control this menace?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
(SHRI JAGAT PRAKASH NADDA)
(a) to (d): Health is a State subject and information regarding procurement of medicines by the State Government and their hospitals is not maintained centrally. However, samples of drugs are picked by the drug regulatory officials of the Centre and States from manufacturing units, dispensing units, Government Hospitals, retail shop, etc. and the details of the spurious drugs found detected in Government Hospitals in the Country as compiled by Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) on the basis of the information provided by various states, are enclosed at Annexure.
However, as far as three Central Government Hospitals in Delhi namely Safdarjung Hospital, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, Lady Hardinge Medical College and Associated Hospitals are concerned; these hospitals are reported to have not bought any fake drugs from companies which have either been banned or blacklisted.
Various steps have been taken by the Government to check Spurious / Sub-standard Drugs in the country, which include amending the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 by the Drugs & Cosmetics (Amendment) Act, 2008 to provide for more stringent penalties for manufacture and trade of spurious and adulterated drugs; Overseas inspections of drug manufacturing sites to ensure quality of imported bulk drugs; Amendment of Schedule M to the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945, pertaining to Good Manufacturing Practices in 2001 and applicable it to all manufacturers in June, 2005 to make it at par with the international standards, etc. It is mandatory for the manufacturers of drugs to comply with the requirements of this Schedule for quality control of the drugs manufactured by them.
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