Lucknow. The Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA) Department has started a statewide special campaign to provide quality medicines to the general public at reasonable rates. In the first phase of the campaign, teams of 50 drug inspectors conducted surprise inspection of pharmacies of 15 government and private medical colleges located in nine districts. These include four government and 11 private medical colleges. During the inspection, along with the procurement rate of medicines and the price being recovered from the patients, the quality, storage, billing and cold-chain system of medicines were also examined.
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The main objective of the special campaign, which started from September 24, is to ensure availability of life-saving and essential medicines to patients at reasonable rates in the pharmacies of medical colleges and hospitals. The investigation teams checked the presence of pharmacists in pharmacies, billing records of life-saving medicines, stock registers, cold-chain maintenance, storage arrangements of medicines and quality of medicines. Besides, the rate at which medicines were purchased by the medical college and the rate at which they were sold to patients was also matched.
Big difference found between purchase rate and MRP
During investigation, huge difference was found between the purchase price and MRP of some highly used and some life saving medicines mainly in some private medical colleges. According to the department, in many cases, hospitals purchased medicines at prices much lower than the printed MRP, but medicines were being provided to patients at the MRP mentioned on the label. Such medicines have been identified by the department. 90 medicine samples have been collected to check their quality. Also, notices are being issued to the concerned manufacturing firms asking them to clarify the position on the difference between the printed MRP of the medicines and the Price to Retailer (PTR) rate provided to the hospital stockists. The wholesalers supplying medicines to hospitals are also being investigated by the department. In this, the difference between the supply rate provided to the hospital and the normal retail supply rate is being examined.
DPCO violation in two medical colleges
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Investigation revealed violation of Drug Price Control Order (DPCO), 2013 in four medicines at Tirthankar Mahavir Medical College, Moradabad and three medicines at GS Medical College and Hospital, Hapur. In this regard, notices are being issued to the concerned manufacturing firms.
Flaws found in cold-chain system in two medical colleges
The cold-chain arrangement of medicines at Hind Institute of Medical Sciences, Barabanki and GS Medical College and Hospital, Hapur was found not to be up to standards. The department has instructed the concerned hospitals to send the entire stock of such medicines back to the concerned manufacturing firm.
Ban on sale of medicines worth Rs 4.86 crore in Santosh Medical College
After anomalies related to supply chain came to light in Santosh Medical College, Ghaziabad, the department has banned the sale of medicines worth Rs 4.86 crore. Apart from this, some pharmacies could not provide purchase bills of medicines on the spot. Notices are also being issued to all such establishments.
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Case of MRP exceeding ceiling price in 76 medicines
The department has not limited its action only to the current investigation of medical colleges. On the basis of archival evidence obtained during departmental inspections in the last one year, cases of sale of 76 medicines available in the market at MRP more than the ceiling price fixed under DPCO, 2013 have come to light.
Instructions for providing documents
In these cases, notices have been issued to 49 C&Fs, major distributors and stockists of 15 drug manufacturing units. The concerned establishments have been asked to provide documents if they have any specific statutory exemption or ethical relaxation from the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA). Otherwise, instructions have been given to ensure action to withdraw the entire stock supplied to the stockist from the market at a rate higher than the prescribed price.
Action will be taken under DPCO and Essential Commodities Act
The Department of Food Safety and Drug Administration has clarified that compliance with the Drugs (Price Control) Order, 2013 is mandatory and binding under Section 3 of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955. The department has directed drug inspectors of local districts to take action under the provisions of DPCO and Essential Commodities Act in related matters.
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Investigation of these medical colleges
In the first phase, pharmacies of 15 medical colleges located in nine districts were inspected. These include SN Medical College, Agra, Government Medical College, Ayodhya, Hind Institute of Medical Sciences, Barabanki, Dr. KNS Memorial Institute of Medical Sciences/Mayo Institute, Barabanki, Rohilkhand Medical College and Hospital, Bareilly, Santosh Medical College, Ghaziabad, GS Medical College and Hospital, Hapur, GSVM Medical College, Kanpur, Dr. BS Kushwaha Medical College, Kanpur, Narayan Medical College and Research Centre, Kanpur, Rama Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Kanpur, Tirthankar Mahavir Medical College, Moradabad, Muzaffarnagar Medical College, Muzaffarnagar, Heritage Institute of Medical Sciences, Varanasi and Institute of Medical Sciences, BHU, Varanasi.