Current Affairs | National | International | SSC | UPSC 6th October 2024

1. Anti-cancer drugs to sport QR codes to check fakes 

• With reports of anti-cancer drugs being replaced by counterfeit products, the government may soon make it mandatory to attach quick response (QR) codes to every vial and strip of medication marketed in India. This is to ensure a rigorous track-and-trace mechanism. 
• This was proposed at a recent meeting of the Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB) meeting, show its minutes. The Board was apprised that unscrupulous criminals, in collusion with hospital pharmacies, were found refilling empty vials of expensive anti-cancer medicines with counterfeit drugs. 
• The DTAB is a committee that advises the Indian government on technical matters related to the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. The Board is part of the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) in the Health Ministry. 
• "These fake drugs were then mixed with genuine stocks and sold to unsuspecting cancer patients, putting their life at risk," the Board meeting's minutes noted. 
• A course of chemotherapy in India typically costs between 1 lakh and ₹4 lakh, depending on the drugs used. Radiation therapy can cost around 1 lakh to 23 lakh. A combination of cancer treatments is sometimes required to obtain better results. 
• Preventing counterfeits 
• Based on this input, the Union government is now working to bring in a mandatory quick response and rigorous track and trace mechanism to prevent counterfeits and validate the authenticity of anti-cancer medicines. 
• At the DTAB meeting, it was proposed that Schedule H2 of the Drugs Rules, 1945 be amended to include all anti-cancer medicines. 
• This would make it mandatory to print or affix bar codes or quick response codes in the labels of these medicines. 

2. Medium transport aircraft will replace AN-32, IL-76 fleets of IAF 

• The medium transport aircraft (MTA), in the 18-30 tonne category, that the Indian Air Force (IAF) is planning to procure will be a common replacement for the ageing AN-32 and IL-76 transport aircraft fleet. 
• The AN-32 is the work-horse of the IAF with over 100 aircraft in service. The 11-76, with over 40-tonne load capacity, is in the heavy lift category. 
• "As far as the MTA is concerned, the fleet that is ageing is the AN-32 and IL-76. We need to find a re- placement for these. The decision that has been taken is we will go for a common aircraft of 18-30 tonnes and for that the RFI has been issued. We have not shortlisted which air-craft we will be going for," IAF chief Air Chief Marshal A.P. Singh said on Thursday. The IAF issued a Request for Information (RFI) for an MTA in December 2022 with a load carrying capacity between 18 tonnes and 30 tonnes for up to 80 aircraft. A comprehensive study was also carried out to identify the current and future payload carrying requirements of the force. 
• There are three responses to the RFI which include Airbus A-400M, Lockheed Martin C-130 and Embraer C-390. Among them, the A-400M has a maximum carrying capacity of 37 tonnes, the C-130 close to 20 tonnes and the C-390 can carry up to 26 tonnes. The 2020 stand-off with China in eastern Ladakh has changed the nature of airlift and the support for the Army required in high altitude areas. 
• There is a huge gap in carrying capacities at the moment with the current aircraft which needs to be adjusted, as reported earlier. The MTA fits a critical requirement of the Army which is looking at the process of procuring a light tank weighing up to 25 tonnes for deployment in the mountains especially in Eastern Ladakh. So, the IAF needs a sizable number of aircraft to airlift them.