The Food and Drug Control Administration (FDA), Maharashtra, has sought the details of all degree and diploma holders who have registered with the State Pharmacy Council to check the multiple use of certificates for seeking trade licences.
The FDA, using the comprehensive details of the certificates including the photographs of the degree/diploma holder given by the Pharmacy Council, will initiate a counter check with the existing list of trade licenses already issued in the state to verify any duplication has taken place.
Speaking to www.pharmabiz.com, Uttam Khobragade, commissioner, FDA, Maharashtra, said that the Administration is very serious about the trade offences taking place in the state and want to ensure no violation of law is encouraged as far as the pharmacy and trade licensing rules are concerned.
He added that currently in the state, some cases of same pharmacy diploma/degree certificates used for multiple trade licenses have been detected in the state. The Administration has already initiated penalty actions against these cases. However, as the state government is very serious about full-time pharmacists in the retails outlets, it wants to ensure that each pharmacy maintains the dedicated pharmacist, on whose certificate the license is granted.
Henceforth, the Administration would also begin the practice of endorsing the certificates with an official seal of the FDA when a trade license is granted on the same, so that the certificates cannot be used for second time along with fresh trade license application unless the previous license is officially cancelled, Khobragade said.
He added that the Administration is also very serious about implementing the recommendations of government to have cold storage facilities and fully air-conditioned facility for drug retail to keep the drugs stable.