DCA Raids Three Medical Shops Over Sale of Hand Sanitisers
He warned that consuming the products could cause serious health problems as they were not meant for human consumption.
Vijayawada:The Drugs Control Administration (DCA) on Thursday inspected three medical shops in Patamata and Governorpet following information about the alleged sale of large quantities of hand sanitisers for misuse as an intoxicant.
DCA assistant director P. Srirama Murthy said, following directions from director Arun Babu, officials inspected the three shops and found a medical shop in Patamata selling hand sanitisers in large quantities.
He said action would be initiated against the shops concerned under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, for allegedly allowing the bulk sale of hand sanitisers for purposes other than their intended use. He warned that consuming the products could cause serious health problems as they were not meant for human consumption.
Sources said some people had allegedly begun misusing hand sanitisers by mixing them with water because of their alcohol content, despite labels warning against consumption.
The practice reportedly emerged after the Centre relaxed the mandatory licensing requirement for the sale of hand sanitisers during the Covid-19 outbreak in 2020 to encourage wider use. Since then, hand sanitisers have been sold at supermarkets, grocery stores, malls and smaller shops.