FDA cancels 28 chemist licences, suspends 146

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Saturday released the report of its inspection of chemists conducted between April 1, 2020 and March 2021, cancelling the licenses of 28 chemists and suspending those of 146 chemists across the city

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Saturday released the report of its inspection of chemists conducted between April 1, 2020 and March 2021, cancelling the licenses of 28 chemists and suspending those of 146 chemists across the city.

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Suresh Patil, joint commissioner (drugs) of the FDA, said, “This inspection was carried out from April 1, 2020 to March 2021 wherein 2,808 chemists were inspected in the Pune division out of which licenses of 28 chemists have been cancelled as shown in the report released today.”

Patil said that the licenses of chemists who had no registered pharmacists at work or did not present bills or had unsuitable storage conditions were cancelled. In zone 1, 648 chemists were inspected, 47 out of whom were suspended for minor offences such as absence of pharmacists during drug sales.

In zone 2, 864 chemists were inspected, 40 out of whom were suspended; in zone 3 (Pimpri-Chinchwad), 864 chemists were inspected, 36 out of whom were suspended; and in zone 4 (rural Pune), 432 chemists were inspected, 23 out of whom were suspended.

The FDA also carried out inspections in Satara, Sangli, Solapur and Kolhapur where licenses of 106 chemists were suspended and those of three chemists (Solapur) and two chemists (Kolhapur) were cancelled.

Patil informed that there are a total 8,000 licensed chemists registered with the FDA and that such inspections are conducted randomly during the year. Each year, FDA inspectors have to carry out 21 inspections however due to covid and shortage of manpower, the number of inspections were less than usual.