Karnataka drugs control department has issued show cause notices to 287 pharmacy outlets and six manufacturing units for violating the Drugs & Cosmetics Act. The department has also suspended 58 drug sale license, cancelled another 61 licenses of pharmacy outlets and three manufacturing units.

Between June 1 and July 15, the department carried out surprise checks at 1,811 pharmacy outlets and 29 blood banks, blood storage centres and 12 inspections of manufacturing units.

According to Dr BR Jagashetty, during June 2010, the enforcement officers carried out the inspections and submitted their findings.

During the month four prosecution cases were filed in the Court. During the same period, 11 cases were disposed off and of which 10 were convicted. There were a total of 11 complaints received from the public which the department is investigating , he added.

The state's drug test laboratory analysed a total of 256 drug samples. Of these samples of 4 drugs were declared not-of-standard quality and investigation is being carried out. The drugs are: Ofloxacin tablets manufactured by Rhombus Pharma located in Gujarat; Melovin, Meloxicam injection manufactured by Alpha Laboratories at Pithampur; Gentamycin injection for veterinary use produced by Vesper Pharma in Bangalore. The drugs control department has now cautioned the chemists, hospitals, doctors and the public to refrain from stocking, prescribing and purchasing these drugs.

Since drugs help save life and restore health and prevent diseases, there is need for production of safe, efficacious and good quality products. The poor quality drugs can only be seized though random sample collection by state drugs control department inspectors. The only way to check the sales of not-of standard quality drugs is to carry out inspections frequently, according to Dr Jagashetty.

For the drugs department, it has not been only cancellations and suspension of licenses as it has also issued 323 fresh licenses to pharmacy outlets, informed Dr Jagashetty.

The state has total of 24, 154 pharmacy outlets, 171 blood banks, 64 blood storage centres, 277 drug manufacturing units and 71 cosmetic production companies.