INDIA TO ADD QUALITY CRITERIA TO GOVERNMENT DRUG PURCHASES

India's Department of Chemicals and Fertilizers may soon finalize a decision on introducing quality criteria for bulk procurement of medicines by government institutions. The move is to ensure that quality doesn't suffer while buying the lowest-priced medicines.

The department may recommend a set of quality testing parameters for government suppliers, making quality assurance an equally important component of the system.

Essentially, the government system of procurement must ensure that quality drugs are bought and that drugs have active ingredients at the maximum level throughout the shelf life of the drug. The main guiding factors for procurement of bulk medicines would then be (a) preferably buying generic drugs and (b) buying only from pre-qualified manufacturers.