Wholesale pharmaceutical product dealers violate drug laws

Hyderabad, Aug 2015:
 In a significant move, the Telangana Drug Control Administration (DCA) conducted checks on the premises of various wholesale dealers of pharmaceutical products for three days from August 20. The checks were conducted by a team consisting of an Assistant Director and three Drug Inspectors at 47 agencies and dealers across Telangana. The team found violations and shortcomings in the functioning of some of the agencies during the checks.
The violations include poor storage conditions, improper records, lack of details of manufacturers and poor maintenance of sales records. The violations also included sale of drugs to firms which did not exist, sale to doctors without written orders, sale to unlicensed persons and pharmacies, stocking of drug after expiry of potency or in violation of storage directions, stocking of substances claiming 'magical remedies' under DMR Act and price violations, said Akun Sabharwal, Director of DCA.
During checks, it was found that imported drugs were stocked and sold without licence by Messrs Impex Trading Company, Plot No 201, HIG, LSPC Mansion, Miyapur, Serlingampally. The team seized 14 varieties of injections worth Rs 3 lakh which were stocked and sold by the firm without valid drug licence as required under Section 18 (C) of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.
During the inspection of the firm, it was found that these injections had Glutathione in combination with various vitamins claimed to be used for whitening of skin. These are manufactured by Dermedical Skin Sciences, Italy, Vesco Pharmaceutical Ltd, Bangkok, Arrow Pharm Group, New Zealand and T/M Pharma Co, Philippines. These drugs were imported by Hisquiyal Hasan, Bhatkal, Karnataka and Saravana, Chennai, operating an online site.
The stocks of the drugs were placed at Messrs Impex Trading Company maintained by S C V Prasad and Kakuru Viveka and were advertised through online classified websites. The seizure has been intimated to the court and the seized property was deposited. The Drug Controller General of India and the Customs Department have also been notified about these seizures.
In another case, Sai Sanjeevini Generic Stores, Malkajgiri, and Himalaya Pharma, Old Bowenpally, Hashmathpet were inspected and drugs worth Rs 2.5 lakh were seized for contravention of Rule 97 & 96 of Drugs and Cosmetic Rules, 1945 and Section 3 (a) of Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisement) Act 1954 as the drug was not labelled as per the provisions of the Act and mentioned as 'Emergency Contraceptive Pill'.
The team also inspected the premises of Amrutha Agencies, Begum Bazaar and seized cosmetics which were purported to contain steroids, without any label claiming it as a "glow cream" thus violating Section 18 (b) and (c) of Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Section 3 (d) of DMRO Act 1954, punishable Under Section 27 (d) of D&C Act and 7 of DMRO Act.
Source: The Hans India