In 5 months, drug sales licenses of 158 chemist shops suspended, says Health Minister Vij

On Saturday, Haryana Health Minister, Anil Vij, while addressing the media, gave figures of the ongoing crack down and said that the administration so far had suspended the drug sales licences of 158 chemist shops, while nine licences were partially cancelled and the permits of 379 chemist shops were cancelled from December 1, 2021 to April 15, 2022 by teams of Food and Drug Administration Department.

“One chemist shop was sealed after it was found that the shop was indulging in sale and purchase of allopathic drugs, even while being suspended. A total of 21 prosecutions under Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940 & Rules, 1945, have been issued. One drug manufacturing licence was suspended,” Vij said.

Highlighting the examples of certain cases, Vij said, “We found two unlicensed factories at Ambala and Faridabad, where spurious cosmetics were being manufactured and being branded under the name of multinational companies, like Hindustan Unilever Limited. FIRs under Drugs and Cosmetics Act, the Copyright Act and under sections of the IPC were lodged and some accused were arrested from the spot. The permission to manufacture three drug formulations were also suspended after they were found ‘not of standard quality’ in contravention of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Rules, 1945. A total of 15 raids have been conducted so far to nab persons involved in illegal sale of MTP kits and nine chemist shops were sealed. Eight raids were conducted to nab people involved in the illegal sale of drugs covered under NDPS Act that have the potential to be used as intoxicants and one chemist shop was sealed for selling these drugs in an unauthorised way. Total 1487 retail and 525 wholesale licences were granted during this period in the state of Haryana by 10 FDA zones. Total twelve (12) drug manufacturing and nine (09) cosmetic licences were granted during this period. Total ten violations of overcharging were detected under Drug Price Control Order, 2013. Two violations were detected under the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisement) Act, 1954, during this period for claiming cure of prohibited disease under the Act.”

Notices to 5 blood centres for violation, two FIRs registered

Vij said that the state administration had also taken a strong exception to the malpractices being adopted by blood centres and notices have been sent to 5 such centres for flouting norms. “Apart from this, two FIRs — one in Mahendergarh and another in Tohana Distt Fatehabad — have been registered. Most private blood centres had been organising outdoor camps without obtaining proper permission for the same. They have also failed to provide information regarding number of regarding blood units collected and responsible technical who were involved in holding such outdoor blood camps. Licence of blood centre of Metro Multi-speciality hospital Faridabad was suspended on March 15 for three months. During the December 1, 2021 to April 15, 2022, period raids at seven nursing homes were conducted to check the sale of drugs over the counter without obtaining licence, especially in HSVP sectors”, Vij said.

The Health Minister also warned such blood centres not to indulge in malpractices.