Karnataka DC seizes 11 NSQ drugs, cautions hospitals, public

Bengaluru, August 2016
Karnataka drugs control department has seized 11 not of standard quality drugs picked up randomly from pharmacy outlets in different areas of the city.
Of the 11 drugs which have been tested at the department’s drug test lab, two belong to Alembic Pharmaceuticals. Both drugs namely Althrocin liquid containing erythromycin estolate oral suspension  were manufactured at its facility in EPIP Phase I at Jharmajri in Baddi district, Himachal Pradesh. 
The remaining nine drugs are Pronat-2—which is a progesterone soft gelatine capsules 200 mg, manufactured by Vlencee Pharma Science, Kodithandalam, Pukkathurai Post, Kancheepuram district in Tamil Nadu, Zobid-M which is a veterinary injection containing meloxicam manufactured by Zydus Animal Health, a division of Cadila Healthcare at Gandhinagar, Panzole-40 containing pantoprazole manufactured by Kaytross ACG Life Sciences at Nashik, Enset which contains ondansetron manufactured by Origin Formulations at Uttarakhand, Pentocod-D containing pantoprazole and domeperidone manufactured by Affine Formulations at Solan in Himachal Pradesh, Vominon-4 mg containing ondansetron manufactured by Vilin Biomed manufactured at Haridwar in Uttarakhand, Nimocen which contains nimesulide manufactured by Vintochem Pharmaceuticals in Ujjain, Leeporate containing sodium valproate manufactured by Terrace Pharmaceuticals at Sansarpur, calcium gluconate injection manufactured by Om Biomedic at Haridwar.
The drugs are found to be not of standard quality and the drug inspectors have undertaken surprise inspections at the pharmacy outlets and collected the samples at random. These have been tested at the drug test labs of the department.
“Our department carries out these inspections and it is mandated to ensure quality drugs are sold at the outlets”, said Bhagoji T Khanapure, Karnataka drugs controller.
The drug control department has alerted the hospitals and the chemists to refrain from prescribing and stocking these drugs. Further it has also alerted the public to ensure they do not purchase these drugs, he added.
Most of the drugs are manufactured at the former excise free zones in the northern parts of the country. In these areas, there is poor monitoring of quality manufacturing practices. At times drug fails quality tests because of poor quality of the active pharmaceutical ingredients. There are also instances of poor refrigerated transportation system which hamper the potency of the drugs, pointed out industry experts. Pharmabiz