Three more labs to be set up for quality check on drugs in Kerala

 

At present drug quality testing labs are located in Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam. The decision to open more labs was taken following the directives issued by the Human Rights Commission Chairman Justice (Retd) JB Koshy in this regard.

 

In the explanation submitted to the commission the drugs controller has stated that drugs sold in the state are from the recognized manufacturers.

 

The controller ensures that the drugs are sold as per the price fixed by the authorities concerned. A monthly report has been submitted to the national drug price control authority about the firms involved in selling drugs violating the price bands fixed by the authority.

 

Drug dealers are also apprised of the low quality medicine using the SMS system. The Drugs Controller however submitted that checking every medicine sold in the state is not practically viable.

 

The commission has observed that the complainant has freedom to submit any complaint regarding any specific medicine. Thampy Subramanian, a human rights activist and corporation councillor in Kochi, has approached the commission on the substandard quality of medicinal drugs sold in the state