India's drug verification scheme wins award

India's track-and-trace system for exported pharmaceuticals has picked up an award from the Asia Pacific Council for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business (AFACT).

The DAVA (Drug Authentication and Verification Application) project - set up by India's Department of Commerce and designed to stop counterfeit or spurious drugs leaving the country - won the 2015 eASIA award under the Trade Facilitation category.

The DAVA is part of a broader drive to help restore India's reputation as a supplier of quality generic products, which has been dented of late by quality issues affecting some of the country's top drug producers - including Ranbaxy and Wockhardt - as well as allegations it is a source of fake medicines.

"When fully implemented, the export of fake or spurious drug from the country will not be possible and, in case it happens, it would be easily traceable," commented the Department of Commerce in a statement.

DAVA officially launched in June 2015, creating a platform for track and trace of drugs that in time will be extended beyond exports to include domestic sales of medicinal products. It is currently in the pilot stage and will be subsequently made mandatory for all pharmaceutical exports from India.

Commerce Secretary Rita Teaotia said the award recognises that DAVA will "contribute considerably in enhancing the brand image of our pharmaceutical exporters."

In addition to guarding against counterfeits and diversion, the DAVA also provides a view of the availability of drug stocks in the supply chain at any point in time, and can facilitate product recalls.

India's pharma industry has approximately 250 large production facilities and more than 8,000 small and medium scale units, according to the Department of Commerce.