JS body formed to investigate children's death
Friday, 24 July 2009
A four-member parliamentary probe committee was formed Thursday to investigate the present position, capability and other necessary matters of the country's pharmaceutical industries as the death of children after taking paracetamol tablet of a company triggered an outcry, reports UNB.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare Ministry took the step after holding detailed discussions on the medical sector, particularly on ways of freeing the pharmaceutical industry from the clutches of 'evil circles'.
After the meeting, probe committee chairman Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim told the journalists at the Media Centre in the parliament complex that the meeting in the presence of the Health Minister decided that no medicine be allowed for marketing without testing certificate by the Drug Testing Laboratory.
"The meeting also decided to set up high-tech Drug Testing Laboratory in Bangladesh as soon as possible," he said.
Replying to a question he said the laboratory will be set up within one year.
The probe committee, headed by Nazmul Hasan, MP, a member of the parliamentary standing committee on Health Ministry, will visit all the pharmaceutical companies in the country to see the standard, production capacity, verify whether they have permission or rights to manufacture specific item of medicine and so on.
There are 222 government-registered pharmaceutical companies factories in the country, of which 164 are in operation, it was said at the briefing.
The probe committee will have to submit its report with recommendations in next three months to the parliamentary standing committee.
The other members of the committee are director of the Drug Administration, the DG of the Health Directorate and a representative from the Health Ministry.
He said when it is necessary to test 8,000 to 10,000 drugs per month the two labs have a total capacity of about 3,000 to 5,000.
Nazmul, who has vast experience in the pharmaceutical sector, said they would recommend what should be the minimum criteria for installing a pharmaceutical factory.
Standing Committee members Health Minister Dr AFM Ruhal Huq, M Amanullah, Prof Dr MA Mannan, Matiur Rahman, M Anwar Hossain, M Murad Hasan, ZI M Mostafa Ali and Nazmul Hasan attended the meeting.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare Ministry took the step after holding detailed discussions on the medical sector, particularly on ways of freeing the pharmaceutical industry from the clutches of 'evil circles'.
After the meeting, probe committee chairman Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim told the journalists at the Media Centre in the parliament complex that the meeting in the presence of the Health Minister decided that no medicine be allowed for marketing without testing certificate by the Drug Testing Laboratory.
"The meeting also decided to set up high-tech Drug Testing Laboratory in Bangladesh as soon as possible," he said.
Replying to a question he said the laboratory will be set up within one year.
The probe committee, headed by Nazmul Hasan, MP, a member of the parliamentary standing committee on Health Ministry, will visit all the pharmaceutical companies in the country to see the standard, production capacity, verify whether they have permission or rights to manufacture specific item of medicine and so on.
There are 222 government-registered pharmaceutical companies factories in the country, of which 164 are in operation, it was said at the briefing.
The probe committee will have to submit its report with recommendations in next three months to the parliamentary standing committee.
The other members of the committee are director of the Drug Administration, the DG of the Health Directorate and a representative from the Health Ministry.
He said when it is necessary to test 8,000 to 10,000 drugs per month the two labs have a total capacity of about 3,000 to 5,000.
Nazmul, who has vast experience in the pharmaceutical sector, said they would recommend what should be the minimum criteria for installing a pharmaceutical factory.
Standing Committee members Health Minister Dr AFM Ruhal Huq, M Amanullah, Prof Dr MA Mannan, Matiur Rahman, M Anwar Hossain, M Murad Hasan, ZI M Mostafa Ali and Nazmul Hasan attended the meeting.