The World Health Organisation (WHO) has categorically stated that it had not conducted any study on the fake drugs in India as quoted by some agencies and media, and endorsed by the official line of the Union Government, after Health Ministry took exception to the often quoted 'WHO reports' about the quantum of spurious drugs in the markets.
Contradicting the repeated reports in the media quoting the WHO study, the office of the WHO representative to India has written to the Union Health Ministry to clarify that the global agency had not conducted any such studies 'in the past several years'.
This also puts stop to debates for the time being about the exact range of the spurious drugs. While Indian authorities, based on the official studies, maintained that spurious drugs were minimal, the media especially those outside the country, quoted often studies by WHO or international agencies to project India as the haven for fake drugs.
The clarification was issued by WHO after the Union Health Ministry took up the matter following some media reports some time back that said 'a WHO study found that 20 per cent of medicines sold in India are fake'. In the reply, the WHO also backed up the official stand by the Government, sources said.
“The figures quoted by media range from 10 per cent to 25 per cent of drugs in the country being spurious drugs. These are totally unsubstantiated reports. For example, on the basis of an alleged WHO report, the media frequently reports that 35 per cent of fake drugs produced in the world come from India. However, when enquired, WHO has neither confirmed its authenticity nor did hint about the source of such figures. The WHO representative in India has clarified that there was no study produced in India. He has regretted that occasionally some individuals in the media and the organizations use WHO reference incorrectly and even irresponsibly,” sources said.WHO confirms to Health Ministry about non-existence any official study on Indian spurious drugs.
Contradicting the repeated reports in the media quoting the WHO study, the office of the WHO representative to India has written to the Union Health Ministry to clarify that the global agency had not conducted any such studies 'in the past several years'.
This also puts stop to debates for the time being about the exact range of the spurious drugs. While Indian authorities, based on the official studies, maintained that spurious drugs were minimal, the media especially those outside the country, quoted often studies by WHO or international agencies to project India as the haven for fake drugs.
The clarification was issued by WHO after the Union Health Ministry took up the matter following some media reports some time back that said 'a WHO study found that 20 per cent of medicines sold in India are fake'. In the reply, the WHO also backed up the official stand by the Government, sources said.
“The figures quoted by media range from 10 per cent to 25 per cent of drugs in the country being spurious drugs. These are totally unsubstantiated reports. For example, on the basis of an alleged WHO report, the media frequently reports that 35 per cent of fake drugs produced in the world come from India. However, when enquired, WHO has neither confirmed its authenticity nor did hint about the source of such figures. The WHO representative in India has clarified that there was no study produced in India. He has regretted that occasionally some individuals in the media and the organizations use WHO reference incorrectly and even irresponsibly,” sources said.WHO confirms to Health Ministry about non-existence any official study on Indian spurious drugs.
Source:Pharmabiz
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