Use of QR Codes to Control the Sale of Fake Medicines
Highlights:
- About 3-4% medicines found in the market are of substandard quality and 0.1% to 0.3% are fake
- Implementation of bar codes by QR codes can help in quick verification and serve as a deterrent to fake medicines
The Government of India will implement shortly bar codes or fast response codes to track the sale of fake medicines. Since more than ten years ago, there have been discussions about using technology to combat the threat of spurious drugs.
In 2011, the Allahabad High Court first suggested that the Government of India look into the viability of using technology to track fake pharmaceuticals. The pharmaceutical business was leery about higher expenditures, so a committee assembled by the health ministry sketched a roadmap for rolling out barcode tracking gradually a year later. Since then, the cost of technology has dramatically decreased, making this concept possible.
‘The Indian government will soon implement bar codes or fast response codes to stop the selling of fake pharmaceuticals.’
Obstacles in Regulating the Sale of Fake Medicines
In this domain, there are two different types of obstacles. The Pharmaceuticals and Cosmetics Act addresses falsified drugs, which are an intentional attempt at fraud, in detail. Substandard medications produced by a licensed company but lacking potency because of substandard manufacturing procedures is a larger issue. India's enforcement mechanism is divided between the Center and the States to address these issues. States' past performance provides an idea of the scope of the issue as they jointly examine more drug samples.Fake Medicines in the Indian Market
Up to March 2021, states tested between 77,000 and 85,000 drug samples per year during a five-year period. The samples contained 3-4% substandard medicines and 0.1% to 0.3% fake drugs. Anecdotal data indicates that high-value medications are typically the ones that fall into the bogus category. Quick verification provided by QR codes should serve as a deterrent to fake pharmaceuticals. However, to tackle the issue of defective pharmaceuticals the strength and capabilities of inspection teams must be improved at all levels of government.Source: Medindia
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Dr. Trupti Shirole. (2022, October 06). Use of QR Codes to Control the Sale of Fake Medicines. Medindia. Retrieved on Dec 26, 2024 from https://www.medindia.net/news/healthwatch/use-of-qr-codes-to-control-the-sale-of-fake-medicines-208806-1.htm.
MLA
Dr. Trupti Shirole. "Use of QR Codes to Control the Sale of Fake Medicines". Medindia. Dec 26, 2024. <https://www.medindia.net/news/healthwatch/use-of-qr-codes-to-control-the-sale-of-fake-medicines-208806-1.htm>.
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Dr. Trupti Shirole. "Use of QR Codes to Control the Sale of Fake Medicines". Medindia. https://www.medindia.net/news/healthwatch/use-of-qr-codes-to-control-the-sale-of-fake-medicines-208806-1.htm. (accessed Dec 26, 2024).
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Dr. Trupti Shirole. 2022. Use of QR Codes to Control the Sale of Fake Medicines. Medindia, viewed Dec 26, 2024, https://www.medindia.net/news/healthwatch/use-of-qr-codes-to-control-the-sale-of-fake-medicines-208806-1.htm.