The Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance, a representative body of 20 research based pharmaceutical companies in the country, expressing concern over the Union health ministry's recent notification on regulation of sale of drugs in the country through an e-portal, has urged the government to take industry into confidence in the entire process. The Union health ministry on March 16 this year had issued a notification proposing to set up an e-portal wherein all manufacturers, stockists and retailers are required to register themselves and enter data relating to sale of drugs with batch number, quantity and expiry date through both online and by using mobile phones. “This is a very ambitious project. It requires meticulous planning and diligent execution. Moreover, the companies will have to assure that the electronic system has adequate security against hacking of commercially sensitive data. All that we know is a notification inviting public comments on the proposed platform,” said DG Shah, secretary general of Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance. (Reference: http://www.pharmabiz.com/NewsDetails.aspx?aid=101550&sid=1)