Drug Deptt suspends operation of 12 erring retail sale outlets

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 14: Teams of Drug Control Organization has disallowed the operations of twelve retail sales establishments including eight in Jammu District, three in Samba District and one in Rajouri District.
As per the department, surprise inspections of Retail Sale Outlets were carried out by the empowered staff under the supervision of respective Assistant Drugs Controller in Jammu & Samba Districts and under the overall authority of State Drugs Controller, Lotika Khajuria.
The drive was targeted to ensure availability of quality drugs to the end users.
The reasons for suspension ranged from non maintenance of sales records, impersonation, unhygienic/unsanitary conditions, improper storage conditions etc. The licenses were warned of severe action in case the deficiencies are not removed within stipulated period of time.
Statutory Drug samples of more than fifty drug formulations viz Antibiotics, PPI, Steroid, NSAIDs etc were also lifted for determination of strength and purity. These samples were referred to Drug Testing Laboratories locate within the State, the results of analysis are expected within one month as per the legal provisions.
Moreover, stocks of drugs worth Rs 65,000 that were declared to be Not of Standard Quality by Government Analyst have also been confiscated from the supply chain by the Regulatory Officers of the organisation under section 23 of the Drugs & Cosmetics Act.