QR codes to help put check on spurious medicines: AIOCD

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) welcomed the government’s decision to mandate the printing of QR codes or bar codes on the packaging label of the top-most selling 300 drug formulations, which will come into force on August 1, 2023.

AIOCD general secretary Rajiv Singhal said that this notification is aimed at curbing the sale of spurious, counterfeit, or substandard drugs in our country. “This trace and track system is already operational in other parts of the world like the USA, Germany, Russia, Britain, and in some other countries. The drugs kept in this list are widely prescribed drugs, therefore their genuineness while delivering it to the patient is very important,” Singhal said.

 Meanwhile, AIOCD president JS Shinde informed that these QR codes will help to verify the fake and spurious drugs. “As many as 300 drugs are being shifted from schedule H1 to schedule H2 (newly added schedule) in the drug rules act,” Shinde added.

As per the new gazette notification, the QR code will have data of the unique product identification code, generic name of the drug, brand name, name, and address of the manufacturer, batch number and date of manufacture and expiry date and manufacturing licence number.

AIOCD also fears that the online sale of habit-forming and narcotic drugs is posing a threat to the young generation. Online sale being illegal, government should immediately stop such pharmacies. To avoid misuse common people also should refrain from purchasing drugs from illegal vendors selling drugs without following regulations in the country.