Track mechanism to check authenticity of medicines: JP Nadda

NEW DELHI: Government has developed a ' Track and Trace' mechanism to check the authenticity of medicines being sold and stored in the country, Health and Family Welfare Minister JP Nadda today informed Rajya Sabha.

"The primary, secondary and tertiary packs of medicines will have a unique bar code allotted to a particular manufacturer. The data relating to all medicinal products will be available on the Internet and any person having access to the Internet would be able to cross check the authenticity of the medicines," the minister said.

There is no proposal to introduce such a mechanism for medical devices.

Replying to another question on preparedness of dealing with the Ebola virus, Nadda said government has commenced screening of passengers arriving from or transiting through Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) affected countries at identified airports and ports.

"Passengers and crew arriving through ships are screened at nine major ports. Special health units are functioning at these ports which are manned by trained medical and paramedical staff," he said.

"The Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme is tracking the passengers who arrive in India from EVD affected countries and who have a history of contact with a suspect or conformed EVD case," he said.

Two laboratories, National Institute of Virology, Pune and National Centre for Disease Control, Delhi are testing clinical samples of high risk passengers.

Ten more existing laboratories with required bio-safety level standards have been identified to collect, test and store samples, the minister said.