Against the backdrop of illegal stock and sale of medicines by firms in Mumbai, the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in its ongoing crackdown on wholesalers has detected two Nashik based firms which procured and stocked drugs from a reputed Indian pharma company by producing fake documents in contravention to the provisions of Drugs & Cosmetic Act, 1940.

Maharashtra FDA is planning to prosecute the two firms - Choudhary & Company and Karwa Pharmaceuticals on the basis of stocking drugs, procuring drugs without proper purchase documents under Section 18(c), 18(a)(vi) read with Rule 65(5) of D&C Act and rules thereunder.

These drugs were purchased in the name of supplying it to government hospitals at a discounted rate. Based on the investigation, it was revealed  that the firm faked purchase invoices illegally in connivance with wholesalers, medical representatives and stocked it in medical stores. The products purchased were prescription drugs and antibiotics like Inj Novamox 1.2 g, Inj Parafast IV, Inj Tazact 4.5g, Inj Cefbact T 1 g.

Violations of D&C Act have been rampant since the past six months relating to not having proper purchase and sale bill and absence of pharmacists in the drug retail stores across the city. Cases detected during surprise raids amounting to violation under D&C Act included even dispensing Schedule H drugs without prescription by unqualified people to the patients.

Stop sale notices were earlier issued while the state regulator made surprise checks at  drug retail stores and found that pharmacists were absent in two of the stores of Mumbai region in violation of Rule 65(2) of the D&C Act which attracts penalty both under Pharmacy Act and Drugs and Cosmetics Act for professional misconduct.

Licenses of 500 retail pharmacies were cancelled and of another 1,674 retail drug stores were suspended as a part of inspections done on 18,067 retail pharmacies across the state between April 2015 and January 2016.

The state regulator had also cancelled eight licenses and suspended another 30 during the period between May 1, 2016 and May 23, 2016 for non-compliance to D&C Act. The state drug regulator in the past had also served 2,428 show cause notices on the retailers based on violations of D&C Act like dispensing medicines without prescription, without proper bill and for absence of pharmacists.