Taking Indian pharma to task

The Indian pharmaceutical industry is willfully ignoring egregious transgressions, according to Dinesh Thakur, the former director and global head of research information (and, ultimately, whistleblower) for Ranbaxy Laboratories. Generic drugs manufactured in India — such as those once made by Ranbaxy — rarely adhere to standard quality control measures, as outlined in a new book, “Bottle of Lies.”

Thakur, opining for STAT, says that the infractions of the Indian generics industry are incontrovertible — and that the country’s regulatory authorities are largely unwilling to enforce change. Many of the generic medicines taken by Americans are manufactured in India — which makes this a major problem, stateside.

“The only solution is for American lawmakers to enact new regulations focused on holding those who intentionally put public health at risk to account,” Thakur writes.