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 PU Karthikeyan, the joint director at the drug control department in Tamil Nadu, has been appointed the Director-in-Charge of the department from June 1, 2025. His elevation as DC-in-Charge is following the retirement of MN Sridhar as director of the drugs control department on May 31.
Karthikeyan assumed office as in-charge director of the TN DCA on June 2.
Before becoming the JDC in July 2024, Karthikeyan was serving as the deputy director of drugs control (DDC) with charge of Zone 3 in Chennai. Prior to that mission, he was working as the assistant director of drugs control (ADC) in the same area.
Sharing his service details with Pharmabiz, PU Karthikeyan said he will take steps with the government to put an end to the illegal online sale of medicines in the state. Earlier, the health secretary of Tamil Nadu had sent one letter to the union health ministry regarding this menace, and now as the director of the DCA, he will also write to the government to stop online sale of medicines.
Saying that the department will provide all possible help to drug manufacturing industries, he said periodical inspections will be conducted in the manufacturing units to assess the preparations for implementing the revised Schedule M of the drug act. Along with, all steps will be taken to implement the efficiency of the department.
A graduate in pharmaceutical sciences from Madras Medical College and MBA from Bombay University, Karthikeyan has a small stint in the production side in industry. Before joining the regulatory department, he worked in a pharmaceutical manufacturing company in Chennai. He joined the department as a drug inspector in 1999. He will bid goodbye to the department on August 31, 2026.
Commenting on his elevation to the rank of In-Charge Director, the president of the Tamil Nadu chemists and druggists association (TN CDA), SA Ramesh, said Karthikeyan is an efficient officer with sufficient knowledge and calibre in handling drug related cases and finding solutions to the burning issues on the trade sector. He said the association is expecting positive reforms from his side to the trade industry which is now on the verge of destruction. TNCDA expects that the new director will take steps to curb the menace of online sale of medicines in the state, and thereby to stop all illegal online portals on pharmacies in Tamil Nadu. He said the trade body will give full support to the drug control department.
J Jayaseelan, chairman of the TN drug manufacturers association (TN IDMA) said the industry is expecting positive support from the side of the new director. “The former director, MN Sridhar was fully supporting the industry, so we hope that the new director will also do the same”, he told Pharmabiz.
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