Why medicines don't work sometimes

With a new drug out every day, manufacturers don't bother with tests. There are spurious drugs worth over Rs 300 crore out there

The pill that you've been popping may not have gone through the required quality checks even though your doc prescribed it.

According to an estimate by the state drug control board, drugs worth over Rs 300 crore are supplied to various hospitals without proper tests.u00a0

As of now, the government laboratory at the drugs controller's office is the only facility that can test drugs.

"With a new drug entering the market almost every day, we have found that drug manufacturers are in no mood to wait for the drug to be tested before they are sold. Often, drugs that are to be tested at the lab are already out in the market,'' they said.u00a0

Private players

With private players set to enter the drug-testing field, the government is considering accreditation for drug -testing laboratories. To curb corruption, the lab at the drug-controller's office will be made an autonomous institution.u00a0

"We intend posting officers who will work independent of the drug controller. This will bring in transparency in drug-testing, besides removing the monopoly of the government lab,'' said Dr Krishnappa, who works at the drug control board.

Check online
An alarmed government plans to put the results and reports of drug tests on the web to enable people to detect spurious drugs.u00a0
u00a0
"We are working out a system where one can login and type the name of the drug one wishes to purchase. The computer will reveal the purity of the drug. Now, the public is forced to go by the doctor's prescription," said an official at the drug control board.