Health ministry plans central online drug registry

The health ministry plans to create a central online registry of drugs to ensure that different drugs are not marketed under the same name, or names that sound similar.

The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has told the Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trademarks to strictly implement rules on brand names.

Confusion in the names of the drugs is a common cause of medication error among patients and pharmacists.

According to the drugs and cosmetic rules, 1940, in case an applicant intends to market a drug under a brand name or trade name, the applicant shall furnish an undertaking to the licensing authority a similar brand name or trade name does not already exist.