D&FCO conducts surprise inspections

JAMMU, AUGUST 30: Controller, Drugs & Food Control Organization,  Lotika Khajuria has constituted various teams of officers from Drugs & Food Control Organization to carry out surprise supervisory checks of  retail/whole sale outlets of medicines and to take cognizance of violations related  to unfair trade practices, misuse of habit forming drugs & running  of unauthorized drug sale  establishments.

During the first phase, inspections of more than eighty establishments were carried out under the supervision of Assistant Controller Drugs, Jammu, Mohammad Iqbal Palla & Assistant Controller Drugs, Kathua, Samba, Renuka Raina, in  rural areas of  Hatli Morh, Chadwal, Hiranagar, Bari Brahmana, Vijaypur ,Swankha and Nandpur.

During the inspections, action against twenty one  firms has been initiated  for committing breach of various provisions of Drugs & Cosmetics Act,1940 & rules. Operations of such firms were immediately disallowed and their licenses were suspended.

Statutory drug samples of more than thirty formulations of antibiotics, PPI, steroids and NSAIDs were drawn to check the identity, strength and purity of these drugs. These samples have been referred to State Drug Testing Laboratories for framing legal opinion to ascertain their quality status.

On specific inputs, inspection of Khem Karyana Store, Gadwal was also carried out from wherein  some Ayurvedic drugs were confiscated which were earlier being distributed to the patients for chronic ailments in violation to the provisions of law, investigations in the matter are underway.

The dealers  have been  impressed upon to implement the mandate for Schedule H-1 (antibiotics, psychotropic substances) in letter & spirit to curb the misuse of habit forming drugs, antibiotics & steroidal drugs.

Directions were also issued to desist from indulging in unethical trade practices and to improve storage conditions to preserve the properties of drugs throughout their shelf life.

Pertinent to mention that the said exercise is also in operation in other districts, to ensure adoption of ‘Good Trade Practices’ by the trade fraternity in the lager interest of patients.

          The firms which were found violating the provisions of Drugs & Cosmetics Act  and whose operations were disallowed & licenses suspended included M/s Madhav Medicos, Kathua, M/s Guarav Avinsah Medical Hall, Near D.H ,Kathua, M/s   Sanjeevani Medicos, Bari Brahmana, M/s Ansh Medicos, Nandpur Road, M/s Dayal Medicos, Vijaypur, M/s Bhawani Medicos, Bari Brahmana, M/s Shivalya Medicos, Bari Brahmana, M/s Kaith Medicos, Bari Brahmana, M/s Arti  Medical Hall , Vijaypur, M/s Himalya Medicos, Vijaypur, M/s Jai Lakshmi Medical Hall , Vijaypur, M/s Bharadwaj Medical Hall , Vijaypur, M/s Jaskaran Medical Hall ,Vijaypur, M/s Lalotra  Medical Hall ,Ramgarh, M/s New Osho  Medical Hall ,Swankha,  M/s Bhoomi, Medicos, Swankha, M/s Ansh  Medicos, Nandpur Road,  M/s Sanjeevani Medicos, Bari Brahmana, M/s Maa Vaishno Medical Hall, Shahidi Chowk,  M/s Sudan Medicos, Hatli Morh, M/s Madhu Medical Hall, Halti Morh,  M.s Shree Medicos, Hatli Morh.