Haryana suspends licences of 158 chemist shops

In wake of the violations in the sale of medicines, drug sales licences of 158 chemist shops were suspended. Also, 9 licences were partially cancelled, while licences of 379 chemist shops were cancelled from December 01, 2021 to April 15, 2022 by the teams of the Food and Drug Administration Department across the state. One chemist shop was sealed as found doing sale and purchase of allopathic drugs during the suspension period. Total 21 prosecutions under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940 & Rules, 1945 were launched in the court of law during this period.

FIRs under Drugs and Cosmetics Act, Copyright Act and IPC were lodged, and accused were arrested from the spot. Anil Vij, the Health Minister said that permission to manufacture three drug formulations were suspended which were declared as “not of standard quality” in contravention of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Rules, 1945. Total 15 joint raids were conducted to nab persons involved in illegal sale of MTP kits and nine chemist shops were sealed for selling MTP kits in an unauthorized way. A total of 8 raids were conducted to nab persons involved in the illegal sale of drugs covered under the NDPS Act which are having the potential to be used as intoxicants and one chemist shop was sealed for selling these drugs in an unauthorized way.

Total of 1487 retail and 525 wholesale licences were granted during this period in the state of Haryana by 10 FDA zones. Total of twelve drug manufacturing and nine cosmetic licences were granted during this period, and a total of ten violations of overcharging were detected under Drug Price Control Order, 2013. Two violations were detected under the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisement) Act, 1954 during this period for claiming a cure of prohibited disease under the Act, he added.