The Department of Pharmacy of Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research (JIPMER) Hospital, Pondicherry, has warned two pharmaceutical companies of blacklisting if they are not "serious" about managing proper cold chain facilities and GMP norms.

The pro-active measure initiated by JIPMER if adopted by other major pharmacies, could act as an indirect pressure on pharmaceutical companies, to adhere good manufacturing norms, it is felt. The companies involved are Amritsar based Jackson Laboratories (P) Ltd and Centurian Laboratories, Vadodra.

According to sources, Jackson Laboratories (P) Ltd had sent a supply of Injection Adrenaline, Injection.

Oxytocin and Injection Succinyl choline without cold chain. JIPMER feels that the transport and dispatch of three essential drugs without cold chain from a company with WHO GMP certification makes a mockery of the very system of quality control. JIPMER also states that they have noticed a colour change in the Tablet Ibuprofen (400mg) that had been supplied by the company a few months back. "Almost 9000 tablets (expiry date May 2008) have changed, colons and the surface of the tablets are seen to have swelled up. The company had no explanation. The problem arises out of poor cold chain facilities", sources informed. According to JIPMER, the common complaints found from firms like this are supply of poor quality drugs, unacceptable delay in supplies, poor quality of packing used for transportation, careless paperwork and many other issues pertaining to the supply of drugs.

The case of Centurion Laboratories is even strange as the JIPMER pharmacy found that 14 strips of Spironolactone were packed along with Tab Thyroxin Sodium 0.1 mg in the same carton. Terming the lapse as serious, the pharmacy department complained that the lapse resulted in shortage of Tab. Thyroxin sodium in the hospital. Centurion has also been warned of black listing.

Dr B. Gitaniaii, Officer-in-Charge, Dept. of Pharmacy, JIPMER has brought this to the notice of Drugs Controller General of India and the concerned state drug controllers.