In a bid to control the sale of fake and spurious hand sanitizers being sold across India in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, the government has started a pan-India drive collecting and testing sanitizer samples.

According to senior government sources, “the samples have been collected from major leading and local brands by both central and state authorities, which are under testing right now.”

The drive started in June when South Chemists and Distributors Association wrote to the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI), alerting about spurious, unapproved and fake hand sanitizers being sold on streets and at retail outlets across the country leading to an increase in COVID-19 cases, the sources added.

The Central Drug Standard Organisation (CDSO), which comes under the aegis of the union health ministry, has also taken cognizance of the issue and began a drive on its own as well, the sources further added.

On June 16, Dr. PBN Prasad, the joint controller general, wrote to the licensing authorities of all the state and union territories to check sale of spurious hand sanitizers.

State drug controllers have also started collecting samples of hand sanitizers manufactured by both local and leading brands in the country.

A state drug controller official involved in the drive told CNBC-TV18 that “samples of several local and leading brands have been collected for testing and sampling.

The official added: “Some of the leading brand samples picked up for testing includes Savlon by ITC, Trust Advanced by Simbhaoli Sugars Limited, Dettol by Reckitt Benckiser, Godrej Protekt, Himalaya PureHands by Himalaya Drug Company Pvt. Ltd, Air Sanitizer by Odonil, Elder’s Hand Fresh, Vi-John, Chik hand sanitizer by Cavinkare, Dabur Pro-Sanitize Hand Sanitizer, Lifebuoy Hand Sanitizer from Hindustan Unilever Ltd, Bajaj Nomarks Hand Sanitizer, and many more.

“It is too early to say whether they have cleared the tests or not as testing is underway.”

To be sure, these samples have been chosen for random testing which is a routine exercise.

“Only once the test results are out it will be known whether these samples are as per the government approved standards or not,” the state drug controller official quoted above added.

First Published:Jul 15, 2020 8:39 PM IST