Regulators Urge NITI Aayog to Form Task Force on Fake Medicines

• 50 percent surge in counterfeit drugs sparks nationwide regulatory alarm
• Tiwari submits detailed anti-counterfeit strategy to NITI Aayog
• Falsified QR codes expose organized interstate counterfeit networks

The alarming surge in fake medicines detected across multiple Indian states has stimulated drug regulators to push for immediate, forceful intervention to protect public health and restore trust in the country’s pharmaceutical ecosystem.

In response to this growing threat, regulators are advocating for the development of a specialized Enforcement Task Force. This unit, proposed as a dynamic combination of experience and innovation, would be led by a senior IPS officer and include technologically skilled young drug inspectors, creating a formidable force against counterfeit drug syndicates.

Adding weight to this initiative, Sumanta Kumar Tiwari, Joint Drug Controller (JDC) of Jharkhand, has submitted an inclusive proposal to NITI Aayog, the country’s premier policy think tank.

According to a survey report shared with Pharmabiz by Tiwari, India has observed a shocking 50 percent increase in counterfeit drugs in the market, with frequently prescribed medicines like PAN-D and Levipil 500 among the most affected. The report reveals a highly coordinated network of counterfeit drug operations spread nationwide, stressing the need for crucial action.

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The eleven states, including West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, Karnataka, Gujarat, Telangana, Delhi, and Maharashtra, have recently stepped up efforts to dismantle interstate networks distributing counterfeit drugs. Many of these fake medicines bore falsified QR codes, a trend that has raised major concerns in Parliament. Investigations have identified major urban locations that function as hubs for counterfeit drug distribution.

Tiwari’s proposal emphasized the need for closer coordination between state drug departments and the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO). He recommends that NITI Aayog frame a national policy encouraging the Ministry of Health to implement deep-rooted regulatory reforms that exceed existing Schedule M protocols, raising the bar for pharmaceutical quality and compliance.