Telangana to Launch Real-Time Digital Drug Safety Alert System
Hyderabad: In a significant move aimed at strengthening drug safety surveillance, the Telangana Drugs Control Administration (DCA) is planning to introduce a real-time digital alert mechanism to ensure faster communication of drug safety warnings and quality-related advisories.
Once implemented, the new system will enable alerts to be issued on the same day a drug is flagged, replacing the existing process that often leads to delays of 15 to 20 days due to reliance on central portals and periodic circulars. The initiative is expected to help curb the circulation of unsafe medicines and protect public health.
At present, drug alerts are largely disseminated through the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) portal and monthly communications, which slows down the process of informing stakeholders about not of standard quality (NSQ) drugs. The proposed real-time alert system is designed to immediately notify all concerned parties, allowing quicker action such as freezing stocks and withdrawing affected medicines from the market.
Under the new framework, alerts are expected to be shared through SMS, email, or mobile-based platforms, covering a wide network of stakeholders including around 48,000 drug retailers, nearly 760 manufacturers and wholesalers, and field-level drug inspectors across Telangana. The move is intended to ensure that critical information reaches the ground without delay, reducing the risk of patients consuming substandard or unsafe medicines.
The initiative is being spearheaded by the Drugs Control Administration Telangana, which has acknowledged that delays in communication can have serious public health implications. Faster alerts would enable regulators and sellers to act immediately once a drug fails quality checks, thereby minimizing potential harm.
The DCA has also highlighted challenges related to limited manpower and infrastructure. Currently, the state has only one drug testing laboratory with the capacity to analyse about 5,000 to 6,000 samples annually, against a desired target of 12,000 samples. To address this gap, proposals have been submitted to establish regional drug testing laboratories in places such as Warangal, Nizamabad, Mahabubnagar, and Nalgonda, along with plans to recruit additional drug inspectors, reports Times of India.
