Karnataka drugs control department has seized 10 not of standard quality drugs during its surprise inspection drive conducted from March 1 to March 15, 2011. Its enforcement team was engaged in surprise inspection drive to keep tabs of  quality of drugs which is produced and circulated in the state.

The drugs are Melovin meloxicam injection manufactured by Alpha Laboratories, Pharmadol which is an acetaminophen  suspension manufactured by Causeway Pharma in Gujarat, Flumol which is a paracetamol tablet manufactured by GSK Pharma in Roorkee, Calicilite-500 which has a Calcium-Cholecalciferol tablets manufactured by Elite Pharma in Ahmedabad, Folic Acid Acid and Ferrous sulphate  tablets manufactured by HLL Lifecare in Belgaum, Dextrose injections by Om Biomedic in Haridwar, Lexof OZ with content of Ofloxacin and Orindazole suspension by Tulbros Formualtions produced at Uttarakhand, Enteric coated Asprin manufactured by Copper Pharma at the Wazirpur Industrial Area in Delhi, Panworth –D which is a Pantoprazole and Domperidone tablet manufactured by Bioworth Pharmics at the Tehsil Haroli district in Himachal Pradesh, Acecelofenac and Paracetamol dispersible tablet produced by RH Laboratories in Himachal Pradesh and Full Spas-T which is a Tranexamic acid and Mefenamic tablet produced by Goish Remedies at Solan district in Himachal l Pradesh.

The department has been carrying out frequent checks which has helped to seize the drugs which are of not-of-standard quality. When prescribed by the medical fraternity or bought over-the-counter, these drugs will fail to have the desired content of active ingredients to ensure efficacy on stated Dr BR Jagashetty, Karnataka drug controller.

This is where the department has taken on the onus to ensure the highest quality standards of drugs in the market. The drugs testing is undertaken at the Drug Test Lab in Bangalore and the medicines were found to be not-of-standard quality.  Further, the drugs department has also taken the responsibility to alert the pharmacy outlets, hospitals and doctors not to stock and prescribe these drugs respectively.

Experts of pharmacology have pointed out that the drugs are found to be not-of-standard quality if the drug content is below 70 per cent for thermo liable products and below 5 percent of the permitted limits for the thermo stable products.

There is a higher level of efficiency and faster turnaround expected from the drugs control department within few weeks, stated Dr Jagashetty.

Pharmabiz has reported that National Informatics Centre (NIC), of the Government of India, has installed the software at the Karnataka Drugs Control department which would allow it keep tabs of manufacture and pharmacy outlets dealing with the drugs. The networking of all the Circles of the state drugs control department will help to keep a close watch of  pharma units and pharmacy outlets across the state.