Economic Times -

INDIA: Govt considering death penalty for selling spurious drugs

Government is considering death penalty for those involved in the manufacturing and selling of spurious drugs.

This was conveyed by the Union Health Minister Sushma Swaraj at a meeting with leaders of the pharmaceutical industry comprising D S Brar of Ranbaxy, Harinder Sikka of Nicholas Piramal and representatives of other pharma companies. They met the minister under the aegis of Confederation of Indian Industry.

The delegation informed the minister that this activity (selling and manufacturing of spurious drugs) should be dealt seriously as it was causing an annual loss of up to Rs 4000 crore to the industry besides causing harm to public health.

Swaraj said that the matter could not be resolved merely by cancelling the licences of chemists and manufacturers. "We can put an end to this only by putting death penalty in the legislation."

The minister indicated that a legislation in this regard would be moved soon.