HM announces new whistle blower scheme to control counterfeit drugs

This has come as a pleasant surprise for many. The Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare Mr. Ghulam Nabi Azad has announced to a policy that promises to go a long way in controlling counterfeit drugs in the country. He has announced a whistle blower policy to encourage the involvement of public to provide information on illegal activity in the manufacture of drugs.

Replying to a debate in the Rajya Sabha on the working of his ministry Mr. Azad today said that the Government is going to bring Drugs and Cosmetic Amendment Bill for creating Central Drug Authority that will strengthen the drug regulatory mechanism.

Mr. Azad further told the House that Indian systems of medicine are getting a new boost through Department of Ayush. Some highlights in his reply on this are:

a)    Proposal to upgrade nine state government Ayush educational institutions to All India Institutes/National Institutes.
b)    To ensure quality of products the Ayush is working collaboration with Quality Council of India
c)    Plan to operationalize integrated institute of Homoeopathy and Ayurveda in North-Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) campus at Shillong.
d)    Plan to train 1000 Ayurveda doctors and 5000 doctors of all systems under Guru Shishya Parampara Scheme and Rashtriya Ayurveda Vidyapeeth respectively this year.