DFCO cancels sale licenses of 8 pharmacies, suspends operations of 75 retail sale establishments

SRINAGAR : In a significant move to ensure the public safety and curb the misuse of pharmaceutical drugs, the government of Jammu & Kashmir has launched a special enforcement drive across Jammu and Kashmir, targeting the pharmacies and drug outlets for compliance with legal and regulatory standards.
During the drive, the officers of Drug & Food Control Organization (DFCO) carried out surprise inspections at various locations across the districts of Jammu & Kashmir. The objective of the initiative is to identify the pharmacies operating in violation of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and to strengthen the mechanisms preventing the unauthorized sale of psychotropic substances and prescription drugs.
Pertinently, the inspection teams cancelled the Drugs Sale Licenses of eight pharmacies for non-maintenance of sale records of habit forming drugs and not adopting the computerized system of billing for maintenance of sales records. These included M/s Aatir Enterprises Ganjiwara Anantnag, M/s Al-Mehdi Medicate, M/s Shehjar Pharmacy Budgam, M/s Medicity Pharmacy, Chadoora,, M/s New Bhat Medicate Chadoora, M/s Dar Medicate Qazipora, Chadoora, Budgam, M/S Pharma Plus Medicare Near Zara Diagnostic Lab Kheora Rajouri and M/s Happy Saini Medical Hall, Haria Chak, Marheen.
Besides, the operations of seventy five retail sale establishments were disallowed on the spot under section 22 (d) of Drugs & Cosmetics Act, 1940 on spot for non maintenance of sale records, impersonation and improper storage conditions. These included 9 each in Jammu, Rajouri and Anantnag; 6 each in Kupwara and Budgam districts; 5 each in Udhampur and Kulgam; 4 in Pulwama, 3 each in Kathua, Samba , Ramban, Doda, Baramulla and Shopian districts; 2 in Poonch district, 1 each in Kathua, Ramban, Reasi, Kishtwar, Srinagar and Ganderbal.
Likewise, the statutory drug samples of more than 500 formulations of various categories were lifted randomly for determination of strength and purity. These samples were referred to the Drug Testing Laboratories located within J&K for framing of legal opinion to ascertain their quality parameters.
Besides, stocks of drugs worth Rs 8,40,348, found to be contravening the provisions of the D&C Act, have also been confiscated from the supply chain by the Regulatory Officers of the organization under section 23 of the Drugs & Cosmetics Act.
Lotika Khajuria, State Drugs Controller, J&K has once again impressed upon the trade fraternity to follow the conditions of licenses in letter and spirit.