DCGI’s Rajeev Ragvansi said uneven enforcement of drug and cosmetic laws across the state was a challenge, but added there was room for improvement.
Speaking at the 9th International Pharmaceutical Exhibition (iPHEX), Indian officials stressed that the government is prioritizing drug quality control to allay concerns over drugs exported from India.
India’s Narcotics Commissioner (DCGI) Rajeev Ragvanshi also said the regulator was working to streamline drug control in the country.
“We are hiring global consultants to look at rationalization opportunities,” he added.
Ragvansi said the challenge was uneven enforcement of drug and cosmetic laws across states, adding that there was “room for improvement”.
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Hosted by Pharmexcil and the Ministry of Industry and Trade to showcase India’s capabilities to delegates from other countries, iPHEX is one of the largest pharmaceutical industry events in the country.
Uday Basker, Director General of Pharmaexcel, said micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) should place particular emphasis on quality compliance and patient safety in the manufacturing process.
“Consumer interests and safety are paramount. A product that does not consider patient safety is meaningless,” he added.
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Bhaskar said he had suspended the registration of at least three companies responsible for manufacturing contaminated medicines, which he said had damaged India’s reputation.
Asked about the quality issue that has dominated the discussion at the Export Council meeting, Bhaskar said the quality issue was a key issue as it has tarnished India’s image as a pharmacy hub. .
“When bad things happen, it affects your confidence. If you don’t argue, how do you deal with problems,” he added.
avoid shortcuts to profit
Ragvanshi said Indian pharmaceutical companies need to move away from the short-term mindset of quick profits and adopt long-term strategies.
“We have the potential to triple the size of our pharmaceutical sector. But we cannot realize that potential unless we recognize that quality is central,” he added.
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Raghvansi said one of the biggest challenges in the pharmaceutical industry is the size difference between manufacturers, making it difficult for regulators to formulate optimal regulations for different categories (MSMEs and big pharma). said there is.
“MSMEs need to move up the value chain. Many harmonizations with global pharmacopeias will happen in the next few days,” he added.
As for concerns about medicines made by some companies, Ragvanshi said such anomalies are always a small part of the picture.
“Regulators are not meant to police, their role is to facilitate. As stakeholders, we want to ensure that these deviations do not affect the value we have created as a country. I need to,” he added.
