India steps up control of imports

The U.S. Senate has singled out India--along with China--in its attempts to crack down on sub-par drugs and drug components from foreign sources. However, India itself is fighting to stay out of pharma-supply reputation basement and is banning the import of raw materials from 10 Chinese suppliers. And to further enhance its reputation, the nation is planning overseas inspections of manufacturing sites.

"[I]t's high time India too started the practice of inspecting manufacturing sites to bring more transparency into the drug approval system," a Pharmabiz article quotes a drug official saying. To further this effort, Indian officials plan to hire drug inspectors to visit the foreign manufacturing facilities of companies that supply the nation's drugmakers. Officials are identifying a pool of 64 inspectors and will eventually whittle that number to about 20, according to an article in Pharmabiz.

Another change being considered is confiscating and destroying unlicensed and sub-par drug and raw material imports and thus replacing the current practice of re-exportation.

- here's the article

Related Articles:
Drug manufacturing jobs moving to India
Demand for offshore drug manufacturing could improve quality
India seeks anti-fakes tools to preserve reputation
India continues rise a global drug power