Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastav on Monday said that state drug regulators should ensure that medicines are sold only through prescriptions so that narcotic drugs are not diverted for trafficking or other illicit uses.
Chairing a meeting with state drug regulators to address illicit use of psychotropic drugs under the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan and strengthen regulatory capacities of states and UTs on Monday, she said regulatory standards need to be strong to ensure that only quality and effective medicines circulate in the country.
During the meeting, Srivastava urged state drug regulators to ensure that medicines are sold only through prescriptions so that narcotic drugs are not diverted for trafficking or other illicit uses.
She also complimented Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) and state drug regulators for completing risk-based inspections of 905 drug manufacturing and testing firms, resulting in 694 actions being taken so far.
The meeting comes following the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) decision to prohibit the production and export of all combinations of pain relief medicines tapentadol and carisoprodol, after reports that unapproved combinations of these drugs were exported to West African countries by a Mumbai-based pharma firm causing an opioid crisis in the region.
(With inputs from PTI)
