Indian government task force makes recommendations to curb drug counterfeiting

Last week, a high-level task force on pharmaceutical manufacturing recommended the adoption of unique code verification technology and mobile SMS authentication for all domestic medicines produced in India. The task force, assembled by the Union Health Ministry last year, undertook research on available track and trace technologies as part of an ongoing effort by the government to curb drug counterfeiting.

The task force recommended this particular solution for track and trace which is based on its viability and affordability for implementing across the Indian pharmaceutical market. It also suggested the technology be implemented in several phases.

Nathan Sigworth, chief executive of PharmaSecure, a provider of this type of SMS mobile authentication technology in India, said: "The Union Health Ministry Task Force's recommendation of unique ID codes and mobile authentication is a great step in the fight against counterfeit medicines. The technology allows companies to protect their brands and for consumers to ensure that the medicine consumers are taking are real, not counterfeit."