A new bar coding system for medicines will soon be brought by the Union Health Ministry. It is expected that the new system will address the issue of substandard medicines and overcharging of drugs in the days to come. Besides, the Ministry is also planning for imparting training to drug manufacturers so that they all can act together to bring a ‘zero tolerance’ regime for substandard medicines across the country. The Drug Controller General of India (DGCI) is all set to be the nodal agency for implementing the new measures of the Ministry.
Bringing such new steps to rectify India’s abysmally poor public health system will surely help the Government to serve millions of people who are in need of the basic minimum health care. In a way, the Government is embarking on a road to ensure that the drugs made available to the common man has 100 percent potency and is not at all sub-standard. It is high time a country like that of India wherein a large chunk of people still approach the public health clinics for regular health problems should set quality standards for drugs across.
As per the estimate of the DGCI, there has been steady fall in the percentage of substandard drugs since 2002. According to the World Health Organization, 58.2 percent of the total health expenditure is an out of pocket cost burden with medicines accounting for 70-77 percent. In such a case, the sub-standard medicines may unnecessarily help increasing the price of the drugs and further it could largely affect the health of the poor. Once the system comes into effect, each drug, both imported from abroad and manufactured domestically, will have a unique identification system so that authenticity of the medicine can be checked immediately online. Ironically, in India we already have a bar coding system for drugs which are exported to other countries.
Thus introducing a bar code system for all medicines and involving all the stakeholders in the health system for heralding change into the country’s pathetic health system accessed by the majority of the people can rightly be called as a holistic approach to health. Hope we get the right medicine at an affordable price soon!