In a bid to ensure that the drugs available in the country are safe for consumption, the Drug Controller-General of India (DCGI) has asked the state drug inspectors to get the samples of the drugs collected and get them tested for their quality at the drug testing laboratories.

The issue was taken up during a discussion on spurious, substandard, expired drugs in the Union health ministry early this month after which it was decided to get the drug samples collected and be tested for their safety. A letter to this effect has been sent out to the state drug inspectors. DCGI has asked the inspectors to draw samples of drugs from the manufacturing sites and sent them to the Central Drug Testing Laboratories for prompt testing. DCGI has instructed to complete the “special drive” within a period of six-nine months.