15 chemist shops in Chandigarh facing drugs licence suspension for violations

After inspection of chemists located both inside and outside government health facilities, a drug inspection team submitted an action-taken report to the Chandigarh health secretary with a detailed schedule of the suspension period

As part of the UT drug controller’s crackdown on chemists violating norms, the drugs licence of 15 pharmacies are being suspended for three days.

Among the violators are two AMRIT pharmacies at PGIMER, three shops at GMSH, Sector 16, and four at GMCH, Sector 32, Chandigarh, who have been prohibited from selling medicines during the three-day suspension period. (HT File Photo for representation)

After inspection of chemists located both inside and outside government health facilities, a drug inspection team submitted an action-taken report to the Chandigarh health secretary with a detailed schedule of the suspension period.

On the violators’ list are 15 chemist shops, who through inspections, were found not abiding to various norms, including dispensing medicines without the presence of a qualified pharmacist, not generating, and issuing bills, and not maintaining proper stock records. A total of 17 firms were inspected.

On the violators’ list are 15 chemist shops, who through inspections, were found not abiding to various norms.

Among the violators are two AMRIT pharmacies at PGIMER, three shops at GMSH, Sector 16, and four at GMCH, Sector 32, who have been prohibited from selling medicines during the three-day suspension period.

The inspections began after the UT health secretary, Yashpal Garg, visited GMSH-16 on April 16, disguised as a patient, and found various violations and irregularities at the chemist shops. During the inspection, the health secretary had found that the chemist shops were not issuing bills unless asked and also promoting branded medicines. Subsequently, the officer had sought an explanation from the drug inspector on how such practices were occurring without detection.