Nellore: The drug control department has been collecting purchase details of sedatives and narcotic drugs from wholesale drug dealers to check their misuse. There has been an increase in the usage of these drugs in the recent past. The officials have been verifying the bills of wholesale dealers and inspecting the medical shops which purchased them after learning about their over-the-counter sale to addicts who come without a prescription or with dated prescriptions.
According to sources in the medical and health department, narcotics and sedatives must be sold only by prescription. There are clear instructions that have been issued to medical shops. They have to use their discretion before delivering these medicines even if the prescription is produced. This is to prevent addiction, especially among students. "We are keeping a close eye on the sale of these drugs by medical shops located close to colleges. The off take of these drugs by wholesalers and retailers during the last six months is under scrutiny and we will not spare anyone if there is any lapse in their sale," a senior official from the medical and health department said.
Medical shops are already in a tight spot after the drug control department took action against shops violating rules that have been in force since October last year, booking 26 cases so far for various irregularities. This is happening perhaps for the first time in the recent past, and the effect has been instantaneous, with shops now insisting on a prescription for any scheduled drugs. Medical shops apart, cases have been booked against a pharmaceutical company for selling tablets worth '8.90 each for '30. According to the assistant director of the drug control department, Mr B. Suresh Babu, 21 cases have been booked under the Drug Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisement) Act, two cases against RMPs for practicing without a licence, two cases for negligence in packing and one case under the drug price control order.
The licenses of three wholesale shops have also been cancelled. Mr Babu said that they were issuing drug licenses only to pharmacists, and if there was no qualified pharmacist manning the counter, the drug licence would be cancelled. He regretted that medical shops were being so negligent in selling scheduled drugs that could be a threat to somebody's life. He said that they were ordering closure of shops if there were any irregularities and they would not hesitate to file criminal cases if the violations were serious in nature. He also said that citizens should report the matter if medicines were sold at prices higher than the MRP. They should also insist for a bill and examine the expiry date before making the purchase and contact the department on 0861-2331755.
