Drug Inspector Shortage Slows Karnataka's Crackdown on Spurious Medicines
Bengaluru: Despite growing concerns over the circulation of spurious and adulterated medicines, Karnataka's drug regulatory machinery is struggling to act decisively due to a severe shortage of drug inspectors, a gap that officials admit is slowing investigations, prosecutions and enforcement against violators across the state.
Senior officials from the state drug control department acknowledged that while cases related to substandard and counterfeit drugs are being detected, the limited number of inspectors has made it difficult to pursue timely action, including filing cases in courts and conducting follow-up inspections. The shortage has placed additional pressure on existing staff, leaving large areas inadequately monitored.
The challenge has become more pronounced as pharmaceutical supply chains grow increasingly complex, increasing the risk of unsafe medicines entering the market. Experts have pointed out that insufficient manpower directly affects the department’s ability to carry out routine inspections, surprise raids, sample testing and consumer complaint redressal, all of which are essential for effective drug regulation.
Officials stressed that drug inspectors play a crucial role in identifying violations, initiating prosecutions, seizing spurious products and suspending or cancelling licences of erring manufacturers and traders. However, the lack of adequate personnel has hampered the department’s capacity to take swift and deterrent action, particularly in high-volume urban markets as well as rural areas.
The situation has raised concerns among public health advocates, who warn that delayed enforcement could allow unsafe medicines to remain in circulation for longer periods, posing risks to patient safety and eroding trust in the healthcare system.
According to a recent media report in the Deccan Herald, regulatory officials have underscored the urgent need to fill vacant inspector posts and strengthen the inspection framework to ensure effective surveillance of medicines from manufacturing units to retail outlets.
The department has indicated that improving staffing levels and resources will be critical to reinforcing Karnataka’s fight against counterfeit and adulterated drugs and safeguarding public health.
