A new parliamentary standing committee report sheds light on the government's 'dilly-dallying and procrastination' over serious irregularities in the approval of various drugs, many of them banned in countries like the US. It seems that our drug inspectors have approved 33 drugs without clinical trials and even after the matter came to light, they've failed to take any decisive action against them.
The committee hit out at the government for its inefficiency in dealing with these matters, going to the extent of saying that they were colluding with the intention of saving the guilty. The committee asked the government to deal with two dangerous drugs analgin and buclizine as soon as possible.
Both these drugs are banned in various countries including the US, UK, Japan, European Union, etc. but continue to be available over-the-counter in India.
The 33 drugs that have been approved without clinical trials the committee asked why the government even after several month hadn't banned the drugs. It says 'this inaction has led to unhindered marketing of these drugs with unknown and unspecified risks to unsuspecting people'.
The committee did appreciate the government's efforts in examining applications for new drugs including fixed dose combinations
