The review of the book Bottle of Lies highlights the laxity of drug regulatory authorities in India (Sunday Magazine, “Lessons from Ranbazy,” August 4). The U.S.’s Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other Western regulatory agencies ensure that their citizens receive quality drugs. We do not see a similar concern for Indian consumers coming from our national and State drug control authorities. According to reports, over the course of 2015, nearly a third of the warning letters issued by the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research were tied to violations of safe manufacturing practices in India-based facilities. What intrigues the Indian consumer is: what happens to the millions of formulations that are recalled? India has earned distinction as a supplier of generic drugs and is known as the pharmacy of the world. This goodwill and reputation will be seriously compromised if the pharmaceutical industry fails to restore confidence of drug authorities in other countries and of the Indian consumer.
H.N. Ramakrishna,Bengaluru