|
AICDF to move court against West Bengal DCA for not issuing licence renewal certificates
|
|
Peethaambaran Kunnathoor, Chennai
February 28 , 2017
|
|
|
Alleging inordinate delay on the part of drugs control authorities in
renewing the drug licences of pharma retailers, the All India Chemists
and Distributors Federation (AICDF) has decided to approach the Calcutta
High Court for a direction to the concerned authorities to remove all
hurdles to the medicine trade in the state.
The Association may
file a case in this regard with the court on Monday, February 27. AICDF
is going to this step against the regulatory bodies because of inaction
and deliberate silence by the officials on the traders’ applications and
reminders.
Sources from the chemists and distributors federation
said their drug licences are not getting renewed (Form 21 (c)) for the
last 20 years, and for the reminders no reply is given. As a last
resort, the chemists group has decided to approach the High Court,
sources informed.
“As per information from government, the office
of the Ministry of Health in the state has given strict instruction to
the regulatory body to cooperate with the retail drug licensees and
support medicine business. But officials in the drugs control department
are making problems and not renewing the licences by saying lame
excuses. We have been requesting the authorities to cooperate with the
traders, but they are always putting us into trouble. That is why we are
planning to go the High Court for justice”, said Joydeep Sarkar,
national secretary of AICDF.
Talking about the hazards being
created by the drugs control offices, he said no drug licensee in the
state is given the Inspection Book (Form 35) by the offices of the drugs
control department. The inspectors often visit the retail shops, but
unable to write anything about their findings.
Even though the
government orders for strict enforcement of drug act and the drug laws
become stricter day by day, many illegal sale practices are going on in
several shops in the districts of Murshidabad, Nadia, 24 Parganas
(South), Dinajpur, Maldah, Bankura and Purulia. The state unit of AICDF
has complained about this unlicensed trade of medicines, especially
essential drugs, to the drugs control department. But the department
does not act against this illegal medicine trade and keeping silence,
Joydeep said.
Similarly, we have complained against certain
medical practitioners who are, by taking advantage of some provisions in
the drug act, stocking huge quantities of Schedule H and H1 drugs in
their clinics under the pretext of giving to their own patients. Some
manufacturing companies are supplying huge stocks of branded drugs to
these practitioners without licences. The drug act does not allow
doctors to sell medicines, but only permitting them to keep a few
specific brands of life saving drugs to give the patients in emergency,
he added.
The secretary of the Federation said the drug control
authorities are aware of this, but they do not take any action against
the doctors or the manufacturing companies for the clandestine medicine
business.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOPICS
|
That foods might provide therapeutic benefits is clearly not a new concept. ...
|
|
|
|
|