MCDA to monitor quality of drugs

IMPHAL, Dec 19: The Manipur Chemists and Druggists Association (MCDA) have taken a firm resolution to check and resist marketing of sub-standard pharmaceutical products in the state.
A release of MCDA said that there is a mushrooming growth of unethical pharmaceutical companies in the country during the past two-three years and their marketing operations have increased considerably in the state through some purported medical representatives. The quality of such drugs needs to be scrutinized by the concerned health department and thereof issue certificates confirming their quality. 
 
It also stated that these sub-standard pharmaceutical products are easily marketed in the state by the medical representatives in collusion with the doctors. Almost 45 percent of the total doctors’ prescriptions are drugs of such  sub-standard quality and it is a serious matter concerning the health of the general public.
The resolutions taken by the Manipur Chemists and Druggists Association are: (1) to formulate criteria for allowing pharmaceutical companies to market their products in the state and registration of companies with the Directorate of Health Services and MCDA (2) the concerned authority should scrutinize the companies as per the guidelines of WHO and verify their GMP certificates before they begin their market operations in the state (3) the unethical companies should submit the address and phone/fax numbers of their head-office along with PAN number of their owners to the Directorate of Health Services and MCDA for making necessary verification through All India Organization of Chemists and Druggist (4) to rectify the price system of pharmaceutical products as per the norms of the Central government (5) the retailers should deal only in those drugs certified by the Directorate of Health Services and MCDA (6) prevent monopolization of drugs by some medical representatives and doctors (7) banning of duplicate and sound alike look alike (SALA) drugs in the state (8) the unethical pharmaceutical companies should submit their relevant documents to the MCDA within 20 days (9) to urge the state government to set up a drug-testing laboratory very soon in the state.