Haryana blacklists Maiden Pharma, but no penal action

Bhartesh Singh Thakur

Chandigarh, May 23

Haryana Medical Services Corporation Ltd (HMSCL) has debarred Maiden Pharmaceuticals, Sonepat, for three years from participating in the tendering process for the supply of albendazole tablets even as the government is yet to take any penal action against the firm.

Vivek Aggarwal, Managing Director, HMSCL, in his order dated May 17, took action against the firm as samples from 21 batches of albendazole tablets, used for parasitic worm infections, were found “not of standard quality”.

The Tribune was the first to report the matter on November 1 last year and subsequently followed it up with more reports. The rate contract awarded to Maiden Pharmaceuticals has now been cancelled. Soon after the lab test report of the HMSCL-empanelled laboratory, the State Drug Controller, Haryana, lifted the samples for testing at a government lab, but the state doesn’t have the facility to carry out dissolution tests. Hence, no action was taken.

After Aggarwal took over the charge at HMSCL in April this year, he pursued the matter and debarred the firm.