BENGALURU: Expressing grave concern over several instances of the sale of contaminated injectable drugs, Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao has urged Union Health Minister JP Nadda to create a system for all laboratories in states and those under the Centre to share alerts on drugs that have failed sterility tests.
In a letter to Nadda on February 20, Rao stated that nine injectable drugs, which have been manufactured in other states, failed sterility tests in government laboratories of Karnataka between January 1 and February 16.
Rao said the list of drugs did not include injectables manufactured by Paschim Banga Pharmaceuticals based in West Bengal, whose contaminated injectables caused the death of five young mothers in Ballari district.
Asserting that he has instructed health officials to take adequate steps to ensure these drugs are not sold in Karnataka, Rao stated that it is highly likely that contaminated drugs manufactured by these companies are sold in other states.
“Injectables, as you are aware, are used in acute care. Given the ‘life or death’ consequences for patients being administered these contaminated drugs, I request you to ensure all products sold by these companies are withdrawn from across India and these companies are not allowed to sell any drugs until they are inspected by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation for compliance with Good Manufacturing Practices,” Rao said.
He said, “In addition to the system to share alerts, there should be a legal requirement to share sales records from the manufacturer to enable seizure of contaminated drugs before they are given to patients,” Rao said. It should alert doctors, pharmacists and patients, he added.