Drug Officers Oppose Karnataka's QCI Pharmacy Proposal

The associations of drug control officers across the nation have strongly opposed the Karnataka health minister's reported statement on involving the Quality Council of India (QCI) as a third-party agency for monitoring medicine quality and conformity in pharmacies.

The minister's proposal has drawn harsh criticism, with associations claiming that it is a "quick fix" that jeopardizes public institutions and presents serious health and safety hazards due to a lack of personnel in the regulatory agency. The All India Drug Control Officers Confederation (AIDCOC) and the Drugs Control Officers India Welfare Association (DCO India) have urged the Karnataka government to push back its decision.

They pointed out, drug quality checking is a statutory function and regulated under Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940, entrusted to trained, qualified, competent and empowered drug control officers. The Karnataka Government's decision to delegate this essential statutory function to private following questions regarding the transparency, accountability, and integrity of enforcement done by the State Government.

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Dr. R P Chaudhary, the president of AIDCOC, raised the concern that even when a third-party agency is reputable, using a third-party agency changes a public safety function into a business that could profit at the loss of public good. He questioned the potential for bribery or a "pay to play" system, when you consider less bureaucratic regulations or public accountability than in a government department. He feared this would diminish public trust in the healthcare system. In addition, Dr. Chowdhury cautioned that if the government outsourced a core regulatory activity, it could eventually starve the drug inspector wing of its own department.