This refers to D G Shah's "Indian pharma's generic challenge" (May 29). It was appalling on Ranbaxy's part to fudge data and keep supplying substandard drugs to the US. Presumably from the same plants, substandard drugs were also supplied to markets in India and other countries. Now that Ranbaxy has been found guilty by the US Food and Drug Administration, what action does the Indian government propose to take to save India's reputation as the world's largest manufacturer of generic drugs?
In the US, most cases of healthcare fraud are qui tam actions, in which whistle-blowers with direct knowledge of the alleged fraud initiate the litigation on behalf of the government. Qui tam means: "he who sues in this matter for the king as well as for himself". India, too, needs a strong law for whistle-blower protection.
H N Ramakrishna, Bangalore
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