JOIN USIn the wake of police arresting a pharmacist in Surathkal for selling drugs without prescription, that were allegedly intoxicating, Drugs Control department has intensified inspection across the district.
In fact, Drugs Control department convened a meeting of all pharmacists in Surathkal on Monday and another meeting is planned in Moodbidri this week.When contacted, Assistant Drugs Controller (ADC) K V Nagaraj, whose jurisdiction includes Bantwal, Belthangady and parts of Mangaluru taluk in the district, and another ADC Shankar Nayak, whose jurisdiction includes Sullia, Puttur and parts of Mangaluru taluk, said that the department has beefed up the inspection drive and issued a circular to all the retailers not to sell drugs without prescription. Department has been conducting regular programmes to educate retailers, Nagaraj said that they have been collecting distribution particulars from the wholesellers every month with regard to addict-forming (intoxicating) drugs. In addition, the department also conducts a special test drive to ascertain the sale every six months.
Seven convicted
Giving details about the action taken by the department in the last three years, Nagaraj said that the department has suspended 25 licenses till date, while show cause notices have been issued to 102 persons and warnings have been issued to 71 pharmacists. While cases have been booked against 10 persons, seven persons have been convicted and three cases are under trial.
There are a total of 450 retail medical shops (licenses) in the district that includes units with hospital attached. Noting that a few people manage to generate fake prescriptions to procure drugs, the pharmacists have been asked to bring such cases to the notice of the police he said.