E-Paper
Chandigarh: Chemist’s licence suspended for a day for selling wrong drug
UT health secretary Yashpal Garg said, “A woman, in her complaint had stated, that M/s Kumar & Company had sold her an eye drop, slightly different from the one prescribed by her doctor. It was found that chemist sold the drug ‘Atpine Eye Drop’ even as he is not permitted to sell it without a doctor prescribing that particular ‘salt’.
The UT health department on Friday suspended the licence of a private chemist ‘M/s Kumar & Company’ for a day for allegedly selling a ‘wrong’ drug to a woman.
UT health secretary Yashpal Garg said, “A woman, in her complaint had stated, that M/s Kumar & Company had sold her an eye drop, slightly different from the one prescribed by her doctor. It was found that chemist sold the drug ‘Atpine Eye Drop’ even as he is not permitted to sell it without a doctor prescribing that particular ‘salt’.
Following the complaint, the chemist had submitted a letter to the UT health department, stating: “The complaint is mala-fide because the said eye-drop was sold to the customer on her own demand and after she asked for that particular medicine.”
The UT health secretary said, “The statement/reply of the private chemist during the proceedings before the drugs controller-cum-licensing authority indicate that the licencee preferred ‘demand of the customer’ than the act/rules/instructions and prescription of a doctor. If this argument is accepted, it may lead to very serious implications. Considering that very few genuine complaints are lodged and even if confirmed, allegations are overlooked, accepting this argument will send out a wrong message and genuine complainants will get discouraged. A licencee cannot sell a drug having different salt than the one prescribed by the doctor. Insistence of a customer cannot be an excuse or justification and can neither be accepted nor should it be accepted.”
The firm’s outlet in Sector 11D is thus barred from making any sale or purchase on November 25.
