In a digital push to the pharma sector, the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre has begun preparations to launch a national drug portal by the end of 2023.
Under the tentative idea of ‘Sabko dawai, sahi dawai’ (genuine medicines for all), News18 has learnt that the planned online portal aims to put together all information related to medicines on a single platform – information for consumers and manufacturers, including all requests and complaints.
“The idea is apt use of available data, bringing transparency, ease of doing business and overall promotion of ease of living,” a top government official told News18, adding, “the portal is a part of a larger plan to digitise the pharmaceutical sector of India.”
National Drug Portal, as tentatively planned, will merge all existing government websites of drugs and pharmaceuticals industry, including the National Drug Directory. The official said, “The CDSCO has been informed that the medicines being sold in the country are not compiled in a single list. The body is preparing the list called ‘National Drug Directory’, which will eventually be merged under the national drug portal.”
Pharma lagging behind in digitisation
The central government is giving special attention to digitalisation of the pharma sector for strengthening consumer rights. “The digitisation that has taken place in the pharmaceutical sector is for the manufacturer and consumer both. But the system is not centralised,” the official said.
However, the way digitisation should have happened in the pharma sector, it had not really taken off. “It’s not up to the mark,” the official added.
For instance, the official said, in case of any adverse event of medicine, there was an ongoing programme to report side effects, but “it’s not online and, in fact, there is no awareness about the existence of any such programme. Hence, there is a need to strengthen it”.
“Similarly, there are several other programmes and initiatives that need to be digitalised, and promoted and in the end, should be collaborated into a single platform. National drug portal could be the answer to the requirement,” the official added.
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