Health Secretary Calls for Tighter Controls on Opioid Medications to Ensure Safety

Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastav emphasized on Monday that state drug regulators must enforce strict controls to ensure that medicines are only dispensed with valid prescriptions. This measure, she explained, is crucial to prevent the diversion of narcotic drugs for trafficking or other illegal activities. Srivastav's statement highlights the growing concerns over the misuse of prescription drugs and calls for tighter regulations to safeguard public health. By ensuring that drugs are sold only to those with proper prescriptions, authorities aim to reduce the availability of narcotics for illicit purposes while promoting responsible use of controlled substances.

On Monday, Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastav chaired a meeting with state drug regulators to discuss the illicit use of psychotropic drugs under the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan and to strengthen the regulatory capacities of states and Union Territories. Srivastav stressed the need for robust regulatory standards to ensure that only quality and effective medicines are distributed across the country. She urged state regulators to enforce strict measures, ensuring that medications are sold exclusively with prescriptions to prevent the diversion of narcotics for trafficking or other illegal activities. The meeting aimed at reinforcing efforts to combat drug misuse while improving the oversight of pharmaceutical distribution.

Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastav also praised the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) and state drug regulators for successfully completing risk-based inspections of 905 drug manufacturing and testing facilities, leading to 694 enforcement actions so far. The meeting follows a significant decision by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) to ban the production and export of all pain relief drug combinations containing tapentadol and carisoprodol. This move came after reports revealed that a Mumbai-based pharmaceutical company had exported unapproved combinations of these drugs to West African countries, contributing to an opioid crisis in the region. Srivastav highlighted the importance of tightening regulations to prevent such incidents and protect public health.

Read More News :

The Benefits of Elder Care at Home in Delhi: Comfort, Safety, and Independence

NoBroker Unveils ConvoZen. Al: A Comprehensive Conversational Al Cloud for the Agentic Era