The Drugs Control Administration of AP in a recent raid on district central drug store in Kakinada unearthed huge quantities of sub-standard quality drugs. The team comprising drug inspectors and vigilance personnel found discrepancies in the lengths of bandages and the volume of injections.

The lengths of bandages and the volume of injections have been found lesser than what is prescribed as per standards. The team picked about 17 samples and sent them for analysis. The injections are found to be 10 per cent less in volume than that is claimed and the bandages are shorter by about 2.5 per cent to 10 per cent, Venkata Reddy, director-DCA told Pharmabiz.

APHMIDC has been given the responsibility to supply drugs to various district central drug stores in the state. These drug stores are expected to supply drugs to government hospitals and primary healthcare centres in each district. The DCA has decided to conduct raids on all the district central drug stores in the state.

In another raid, the department caught VVS Kumar of Vijayawada running a drug store without a valid license and he has been sentenced to two years of imprisonment and fined Rs.10,000, Reddy revealed.

The DCA will also take action against Srinivasa Reddy of Mediherb Midicameds (Hayat Nagar), Shobha Devi of Drugs Homes (Tenali), K Nagi Reddy of Kent Medicals, Sun Feeds and Formulations (Guntur district) and Dr Rao's Herbal Pharma (Nunna) for violation of Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act. They are to pay a fine in the range of Rs.3000-Rs.5000 for objectionable label violations.

Further, the DCA unearthed spurious drugs possessed by Kranti Transport of Vijayawada. It lodged a complaint against the transport agency at the city's police station. The department seized 422 boxes of Ciprobid -250 mg and 58 boxes of 500-mg of batches MB-2071 and MB-1122, respectively, printed as manufactured by Zydus Healthcare, Ahmedabad; 65 boxes of Trika - 0.25 mg bearing batch number TRL- 1026, printed as manufactured by Unichem Labs; and 28 boxes of Lopamide with batch number 1107012, printed as manufactured by Torrent Pharma.