Jharkhand mandates QR codes on essential medicines | Fusion - WeRIndia

In a major step to combat the growing threat of counterfeit medicines, the Jharkhand government has made QR codes mandatory on 300 essential drugs, aiming to ensure drug authenticity and protect public health.

The state’s Health Minister, Dr Irfan Ansari, issued a strong warning that those endangering people’s lives, whether drug mafias or corrupt officials, would face strict action.

The regulation applies to a wide range of commonly used medications, including painkillers, antipyretics, platelet boosters, diabetes and thyroid drugs, contraceptives, and vitamin supplements.

Each QR code will contain critical details such as the drug’s authenticity, manufacturer information, batch number, and manufacturing and expiry dates, enabling immediate identification of fake products.

Dr Ansari emphasised that QR codes would act as a clear line of defence between genuine and fake medicines, and that the government would not tolerate any attempt to cheat patients.

All medical stores have been instructed to stock and sell only registered medicines, with the Health Minister warning that any store found selling unregistered drugs would have its licence cancelled immediately.

In support of the new mandate, the government has directed drug inspectors to increase market surveillance and conduct thorough inspections.

Any negligence or discovery of counterfeit medicines will lead to suspension and departmental action against the responsible officials.

To strengthen the quality control system, the state will soon set up advanced food and drug testing laboratories in Dumka, Ranchi, Jamshedpur, and Palamu.

These labs will conduct tests for composition, purity, stability, biological effectiveness, and the presence of toxic substances, ensuring medicines meet rigorous safety standards.

In addition to drug regulation, the Health Department will inspect food products in malls, hotels, and restaurants across Jharkhand. Any cases of adulteration, expiry, or poor quality will result in legal action and raids.

Dr Ansari also raised serious concerns over the misuse of codeine and alcohol-based cough syrups, calling them dangerous and addictive. Selling such syrups without a valid prescription will now be treated as a criminal offence, with strict legal consequences for violators.

The Minister stated that public health must come before profit, and vowed to enforce strict inspection, legal accountability, and transparency across the state.

Image from Pxhere (Free for commercial use / CC0 Public Domain)

Image Published on December 30, 2016

Image Reference: https://pxhere.com/en/photo/139487