Seized Drug Sample Found Fake In Lab Test

Lucknow, 9 Oct 2019:

Samples of injection and other drugs worth ₹7.81 lakh, which were seized from medical stores during inspections by the Food Safety and Drugs Administration (FSDA), UP, in Aminabad on April 23 and 24 this year, were sent for the test in the government lab to ensure originality and effectiveness of the drugs. One of the injection samples, taken from a medical store, has been found fake in the lab test. The drug inspectors had sent three samples, including an injection prescribed to patients suffering with weakness, for the test.

“Now a case will be registered against the medical store owner on the basis of the lab report,” said drug inspector Brijesh Kumar, who was in the raiding team. “The lab report stated that chemical/ingredients mentioned in the label of the injection were not found in the vial during the lab test,” he said.

The FSDA has been conducting regular raids at medical stores in the state capital as the department was getting inputs about fake drugs being sold without proper documents and license.

According to health official, not only the FSDA but the UP medical supply corporation, that monitors drug distribution to government hospitals in the state, has also taken action against drug companies after drugs that were supplied by these failed lab tests. Following this, drugs under different categories such as antibiotic, anti-fungal and those related to ailments in the abdomen, of few specific batches, were called back from hospitals.

The corporation, apart from the task of ensuring regular supply of medicines, also has the responsibility of ensuring quality of medicines. Hence, samples of the medicines supplied were sent for the lab test.

After the samples of drug failed, its entire batches were called back and now action might be taken against the companies.

Meanwhile, UP Medical Supplies Corporation Limited has asked chief medical officers of all the districts to ensure that tablets of Fluconazole 150 IP supplied by Ms Healers Lab with batch number FLU 506 are not distributed to patients from the hospitals, besides the stock of medicine be returned back.

A letter from the manager the corporation says that the manufacturing date of the medicine is 07/2019 while expiry is 06/2022. The decision was taken after the drug was found ‘not of standard quality’ in the lab test.

Another letter from the corporation to the CMOs directed that injection Ranitidine Hydrochloride with batch number HL1849K supplied by Ms Himalaya Meditek be also called back from hospitals and its usage be stopped immediately, till further orders. A lab test in Chandigarh of a sample vial was also declared ‘not of standard quality.’ Hindustan Times