Karnataka seeks tattoo ink regulation after heavy metals found in samples

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao on Friday said the state government will soon write to the Union Drug Controller General of India, seeking regulation and the issuance of guidelines for tattooing as per Bureau of Indian Standards, after 22 heavy metals were found in tattoo ink samples collected and analysed in the state. Based on complaints, the Karnataka Food Safety and Drug Administration department collected these samples for testing.

According to Rao, the analytical report of these tested samples revealed the presence of heavy metals such as selenium, chromium, platinum, and arsenic, which could cause various skin diseases, including bacterial, viral, and fungal infections. "So, unfortunately, what we found is that there is currently no law in place to regulate this. There are no Bureau of Indian Standards for tattoo ink, and it is not covered under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.

There are no regulations on the quantity of ink and metals that can be used, or how they should be used. There has to be a proper protocol for this, which is currently lacking in the country," Rao told reporters during a press briefing. Noting that this is a serious issue, the Minister said the government will raise the matter with the Centre. "Our Food Safety and Drugs Commissioner will soon write a letter to the Drug Controller General of India, urging them to address this issue and establish standards as per BIS.

This will help determine what is safe and what is unsafe, ensuring proper regulation under the law," he stressed. Explaining how heavy metals and microorganisms can enter the body through tattoo ink, Rao said, "Some remain on the surface, while others get injected into the skin, potentially causing harm. Since these are heavy metals, this issue needs to be closely monitored." Listing the recent drives conducted by the Karnataka Food Safety and Drug Administration Department, the Health Minister stated that in January, out of 1,133 drug samples collected and analysed, 106 samples were declared "not of standard quality," while the remaining were found to be of "standard quality." In February, out of 1,841 drug samples analyzed, 58 were declared "not of standard quality." "So far, 75 cases have been booked under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, for violations related to poor quality and substandard drugs," Rao said. He also noted that in January, a special drive was conducted to remove drugs from the market that were previously declared to be of substandard quality. As a result, approximately Rs 17 lakh worth of such drugs were recalled.