AP DCA has set a standard to itself in monitoring the discrepancies in the compliance of regulations as per the Drugs and Cosmetics Act in the state. It has so far launched 1,006 prosecutions which is the highest by any state drugs department in the country, Venkata Reddy, former director, DCA of AP told Pharmabiz.

Reddy said, more than 80 per cent of the prosecutions launched by DCA end in conviction, and in several cases imprisonment ranges from three months to five years.

He said that DCA has recently launched prosecutions on two unauthorized blood banks in the state. A Sathyanarayana Raju (proprietor), A Siva Jyoti (lab technician) and B Bala (lab technician) had been operating an unauthorized blood bank in Sai Sri Lakshmi Diagnostics and K Sathyam, owner of an unauthorized blood bank of AJMM Life Medical Lab and X -Ray Centre both located at Palakollu in West Godavari district of AP.

With this, the number of unauthorized blood banks identified and taken up for prosecution in the state has increased to 22, Venkata Reddy added.

Meanwhile, the department has recently launched a portal- www.apdca.org which furnishes various relevant details about the department, and this would enable chemists and public to know the activities of the department.