Medicines meant for free distribution in Government hospitals in Telangana have ended up in the hands of private persons, who are stockpiling them in the hope of selling the same on the sly.
When teams of the Drug Control Administration (DCA) of Telangana conducted inspections at a few private premises in Hyderabad, a large cache of anti-rabies vaccines meant to be supplied through Government hospitals in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh were found illegally stashed.
The inspecting teams also found large stockpile of drugs that were ‘Physicians Samples’ only.
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“As per law, medicines supplied to Government hospitals, and public health centres are to be given to patients by Government doctors. They cannot be sold in the market by private chemists and druggists. Eight cases under Sec 18 (a) r/w Rule 65 (18) of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act have been taken up.
The stocks that were seized will be deposited in the concerned courts,” Director, DCA, Akun Sabharwal said.
The inspecting teams seized drugs worth Rs. 24.18 lakh from a host of warehouses managed by private druggists.
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“The seized drugs were a mix of Government drugs and physicians samples. Our teams have already started the process of taking legal action,” Deputy Director and Licensing Authority, DCA, M. Amrutha Rao, said.
In Greater Hyderabad, the inspecting teams seized medicine worth Rs. 4.16 lakh of 285 different varieties.
In Karimnagar, the DCA teams seized 23 varieties of drugs worth Rs. 1.2 lakh and in Nalgonda, the inspecting teams seized 255 varieties of drugs worth Rs. 18.82 lakh.
Inspecting teams seize drugs worth Rs. 24.18 lakh from a host of warehouses managed by private druggists