When Small Is Not Beautiful K Jayaraman YOUR Editorial comment "Drug Standards- Shocking Neglect" (EPW, August 23) has come none too soon indeed, both for its perception and revelations. Quality in medicine is not something brought about by certain external checks, measures and procedures, going by the name "Quality Control", but comprises an entire manufacturing philosophy permeating the whole gamut of designing, producing, distributing and marketing the products, so as to ensure their absolute potency and efficacy in different parts of the country and the world and under various climatic conditions. In fact, the drugs control law and regulations in India are one of the finest pieces of regulatory legislation existing anywhere in the world, combining in themselves the best features of the legal framework and regulatory mechanism of the more advanced countries. What has been lacking is the will to implement these provisions, despite expert advice afforded from time to time by various committees since the 1940s. The Hathi Committee (1975), for instance, reported thus:
