Health Dept cancels chemists’ licence for unethical sale

The Health Department has cancelled the licence of a chemist and suspended licences of two chemists to prevent the unethical sale and purchase of habit-forming drugs in the state.

The Zonal Licensing Authority under the Food and Drug Administration has cancelled the retail sale drug licences of Babbu Medicos, Baba Bakala and suspended the licences of two chemists — Nirmal Pharmacy, Sultanwind village and Bhullar Medical Store, Baba Bakala, for 45 days each.

Babbu Medicos, Baba Bakala, was inspected on September 23 and 750 capsules of Pregabalin were seized as the chemist failed to produce the purchase record of these drugs.

A drug wing team had inspected Bhullar Medical Store on September 5 and seized 570 capsules of Pregabalin. Zonal Licencing Authority Kulwinder Singh said that Nirmal Pharmacy was inspected on October 4 and the Health Department team had seized 2,434 capsules of Gabapentin.

He said that the chemist operating the pharmacy failed to produce the purchase record of these drugs. The action was taken after following the due procedure laid in Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945, he said.

He added that show-cause notices were issued to all the firms and action was taken after considering the reply submitted by the firms in the interest of public health. “All

the chemists are once again asked to maintain the purchase and sale record of the drugs," said Kulwinder Singh.