Delhi Govt to tighten checks on sale of banned drugs in medical stores

Delhi Govt to tighten checks on sale of banned drugs in medical stores
Joseph Alexander, New Delhi
Friday, July 22, 2011, 08:00 Hrs [IST]

Amid reports of continued sale of banned drugs and in the wake of recent raids mounted in the chemist shops in the National Capital, the Drug Control Department under the Delhi Government has decided to strengthen the vigil and action against the sale of banned drugs.

As part of bolstering the steps, the Government on Thursday came out with public notices in the leading newspapers in the city to alert the consumers and also to warn the chemists against sale of banned drugs. “This is the first step to raise awareness and we will now take sterner actions like regular raids and registration of cases in the coming weeks,” an official of the Drug Control Department said about the advertisements.

The public notice has listed 88 drugs, including the fixed dose combinations, besides announcing the links to the Department and CDSCO links for the comprehensive list. The roaster also included banned drugs like rosiglitazone, gatifloxacin and tegaserod which were prominent among those seized in the recent raids.

The office of Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) had conducted raids in 130 places including hospitals and medical stores recently in the National Capital Region and found that 85 of them (accounting for 65 per cent) were offering the prohibited drugs. This has mainly prompted the Delhi Government to strengthen the steps, sources said.

“All concerned are directed not to manufacture, stock, sell or distribute the banned drugs. Non-compliance or violation of the order shall invite strict action under the provisions of rules without further notice, by competent authorities of Drug Control Department,” said the notice signed by Drug Controller Madhu K Garg.

The list of banned drugs includes amidopyrine, fixed dose combinations of atropine in analgesics and antipyretics, FDC of strychnine and caffeine in tonics, FDC of yohimbine and strychnine with testosterone and vitamins, phenacetin, nialamide, practolol, methapyrilene, methaqualone, chloral hydrate as a drug, dovers powder I.P, fixed dose combination of analgin with any other drug, fixed dose combination of dextropropoxyphene with any other drug other than anti-spasmodic and/or non-steriodal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), fenfluramine and dexfenfluramine, rimonabant, nimesulide formulations for human use in children below 12 years of age, cisapride and its formulations for human use, phenylpropanolamine and its formulation for human use, sibutramine and its formulations for human use, and R-sibutramine and its formulations for human use.