24 More Drugs Declared Substandard

DAK to Launch Awareness Campaign 

SRINAGAR: At least twenty four drugs supplied to various hospitals of Jammu and Kashmir, including the prestigious SKIMS, have been declared substandard by two premier drug testing laboratories, according to a report by Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO). The ‘substandard’ drugs are widely available in the chemist shops as well. 

As per the CDSCO report, the drugs declared substandard include eight manufactured in Jammu, seven in Himachal Pradesh, five in Uttarakhand , and two in Haryana, while the other drugs are manufactured in Bangalore and Mumbai. 

Central Drugs Laboratory, Kolkata and Regional Drugs Testing Laboratory, Chandigarh had analysed 156 samples drawn by drug inspectors of Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) from different locations in the state in connection with the supply of spurious drugs in the government-run hospitals. 

An official in the Drug Controller Department Jammu said the department has taken action after the report came and various drugs have been seized, even as the inquiry is on. “We have seized certain medicines after the report by the two laboratories reached us and we have also sent show cause notices to various manufacturing companies in this regard. We are duty-bound to act against spurious drugs,” he said.

Doctors Association of Kashmir (DAK) has expressed serious concerns in the wake of the CDSCO report.  

“These twenty four substandard drugs are a test result of only fifty samples while the report regarding one hundred and six samples is still awaited,” said Dr. Nissar-ul-Hassan, President DAK, talking to reporters here today.

The substandard drugs include Dicloflam Injection IP (Ethicare Laboratories Jammu), Amoxicillin and Potassium Clavulenate Inj (Karnataka Antibiotics and Pharmaceuticals, Bangalore), P-min10% (Minil Lab Jammu), Zepoxin Inj (Neon Lab, Mumbai), Traxol (GMH Organics HP), Nimeth Inj (Haryana), Biotocin Inj (EG Pharmaceuticals, HP), Metonorm Inj (Ethicare Labouratories Jammu), Dexamethosone Inj (SGS Uttrakhand), Pheniramine Inj (SGS, Uttrakhand), Diclofenac Sodium Inj (Visa Drugs, HP), Metonorm (Ethicare Laboratories Jammu), Bolocef 250 (Bio Search, Jammu), Metonorm (Ethicare Laboratories Jammu), Cefataxime Sodium (Vivek Pharma Jammu), Pheniramine Maleate (SGS Uttrakhand), Curcef (Orison Haryana), Levocetirizine (Regency Uttrakhand), Cefdom-P (Roseate HP), Marycal 500 (A K Biotec, Jammu), Onofbact 200 (Sea Pharmaceuticals, UP), Nitrofuratone (Martin and Harris, Uttrakhand) and Clonazepan 1 mg (Beta Drugs, HP). Samples of Amoxicillin and Potassium Clavulenate Inj and Zepoxin Inj were lifted from SKIMS while others were drawn from Directorate of Health Services Jammu, District hospital Pulwama, Zaffar Medicate Pulwama, SDH Pampore, SMGS Hospital Jammu, Medical Store Udampur, SDH Sopore, Mother and Child Care Hospital Sopore, District Hospital Baramulla, Ditrict Hospital Doda,  Allied Traders Pharma Sopore, Wani Kishtwar,  Lee-Eeh Traders Srinagar, Fair Price Cooperative Medical Store Pulwama and Phychiatric Hospital Srinagar. 

The DAK President also announced to launch door-to-door campaign against the spurious drugs and arrest of those involved in the scam.

“Even after filing of a chargesheet against them by Crime Branch, officials involved in the scam continue to be holding their positions,” he said, adding “Mere transfer of the culprits isn’t enough. They have to be arrested for the commission of offence committed by them.”

“More than five hundred infants died in Children’s Hospital here while hundreds of others lost their lives in various other hospitals. It’s not because of the negligence of the doctors but due to the fake and spurious drugs that these lives were lost,” he said.

The DAK president also demanded setting up of an independent commission to probe the entire gamut of the drug scandal. 

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