RANCHI: Health Minister Dr Irfan Ansari said that no essential medicine could be sold in Jharkhand without having a QR Code on it.
According to the Health Minister, the decision was taken to curb fake drug business in the state. QR code will make it easier for the public to differentiate between fake and original medicines with the help of a scanner in the phone.
Ansari also made it clear that painkillers, vitamin supplements, diabetes control medicines, contraceptive pills and antiplatelet, thyroid, anti-allergy and other medicines will not be sold in the state without QR code.
“On scanning the QR code, important information related to the medicine, like the manufacturing license, batch number, could be obtained easily,” said the Health Minister.
The QR code will become the wall between fake and real medicines, he added.
Giving a final warning to the drug dealers and shopkeepers, the Health Minister also said that if any shop is found operating without registration, it will be sealed and its license will be cancelled.
Notably, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has made barcode or QR code mandatory on 300 types of medicines from August 1, 2023.
In addition to that, the Health Minister also announced that drug testing labs will be set up in Dumka, Jamshedpur and Palamu to check the quality of medicines. Also, food testing labs will be set up in the said districts to check adulteration in food items, he said.
“The drug testing lab and food testing lab operating in Ranchi will also be improved and made state-of-the-art. Food items being sold in all malls, hotels and restaurants will be tested, and raids will be conducted across the state by running a campaign to check adulteration of food,” said Ansari.