Bar coding on pharma items packaging may be postponed

Industry seeks more time to implement govt directive on bar coding The government is set to postpone compulsory bar coding on secondary packaging of pharmaceutical products to April 1 next year, as against an initial preposition of January 1, 2013 deadline.Bar coding medicines meant for export has been postponed given the stringent opposition by industry bodies representing the pharma sector. Industry has conveyed that it needs more time to be able to implement bar coding.To prevent menace of spurious, sub-standard and counterfeit drugs passed off in the international markets as Indian made medicines, commerce ministry has mooted use of technology to trace pharma products from their point of origin. Bar codes on pharmaceutical exports at all levels of packaging will reduce chances of counterfeit drugs being exported from India.For bar coding, exporters will have to register their products with the importing country and take necessary approvals from their regulators and comply with the norms. Implementation of bar code will require them to make changes in their registration that will involve committing a time line of at least a year.“We have received requests from the industry for more time in order to adapt to new rules. We have decided to make it compulsory beginning April 1,” said an official involved with pharmaceutical exports.Pharmaceutical Export Promotion Council of India (Pharmexcil) had also written to commerce ministry seeking an extension. After several meetings at inter-ministerial level, it has been decided to give further time to industry to adapt to new rules.As per the commerce ministry’s earlier notification, bar coding on secondary level packaging was to be implemented in the country for the exporters with effect from January 1, 2013.The commerce ministry has already implemented the first phase of bar coding on pharma exports under which the trace and track technology has been made compulsory for tertiary level packaging from October 1 last year. Tertiary level of packaging is when packed products are put into bigger cases and cartons. Secondary level is at which primary packages such as tablet strips are packed. Government is looking at implementing bar coding on primary packaging from July 1 next year.“The industry will need more time, specially small and medium enterprises. We also have to see requirements of importing country. The packaging and labelling will have to be changed accordingly,” said an official of Indian Drug Manufacturers Association (IDMA).