The pharma challenge

India must act urgently on counterfeit drugs

In August, the deputy drug controller at the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) in New Delhi was taken into custody by the Central Bureau of Investigation, reportedly for corrupt practices related to drug approvals. Several other such arrests have been made at the regulator associated with the Union government as well as some state governments. The regulator itself has recognised in the past year or so that there are aspects of its functioning that need to be altered, which is partly why it undertook a massive reorganisation and mass transfer of officers earlier this year. Advocates of consumer protection