Gujarat FDCA witnesses drastic decline in non-compliance to Drugs Act and NDPS Act since 2019

Mumbai, December 7, 2022:

The Gujarat Food and Drug Control Administration (FDCA) has witnessed a drastic decline in non-compliance cases related to Drugs Act and NDPS Act since 2020. It seized products worth Rs. 59,000 this year as against products worth Rs. 44.46 lakhs seized in the period of 2019 -2020.

It cancelled licenses of 20 firms this year for illegally selling codeine containing cough syrups and Schedule H1 drug like alprazolam as compared to 58 firms in the period 2019-2020.

Gujarat FDCA enforcement team has cancelled licenses of 124 firms over the past seven years till date to curb illegal sale of codeine containing cough syrup and prescription drugs like alprazolam. It seized products worth Rs. 49.08 lakhs over the past seven years.

“Due to Gujarat FDCA crackdown, the amount of products seized has shown a drastic decline since 2020 which demonstrates that illegal sale of cough syrups and Schedule H1 drugs in the drug retail supply chain have been brought down considerably,” informed Gujarat FDCA Commissioner Dr HG Koshia.

The state regulator inspected 659 chemist shops and suspended 165 licenses of chemist shops for up to 30 days this year.
The Gujarat FDCA has conducted raids in Bagodara and Dhandhuka of Ahmedabad Rural area, Care Chemist, Shahalam, Ahmedabad, Jaimik Medical Stores, Behrampura, Ahmedabad, Libra Sales Corporation, Jamalpur, Ahmedabad, Astha Medical Stores, Katargam, Surat, Sanand&Bavla, Village Baldana, Bavla, Ahmedabad, Odhav, Ahmedabad, Ganesh Medical Agency, Ahmedabad, PradhanMantriBharatiya Jan Aushadhi Store, Anand, Heena Medical Agency, Anand.

Codeine was categorized as an “Essential Narcotic Drug” in May, 2015 under NDPS Rules. Codeine based cough syrup is a scheduled drug under NDPS Act. Its misuse and illegal sale is punishable under NDPS Act. Continued abuse of codeine phosphate can lead to mental health, liver and kidney related serious ailments.

According to the union health ministry guidelines for Programmatic Management of Drug Resistant Tuberculosis in India, 2021, “These codeine based formulations are popular among medical professionals in managing post-operative cough, persistent dry cough in tuberculosis patients, and for managing cough in Covid-19 patients. Codeine is also a suggested drug in Adverse Drug Reaction (ADR) management to improve treatment compliance of drug resistant tuberculosis”.Pharmabiz