BHUBANESWAR: Vigilance investigation into anti-cancer drug scam has revealed that the oncologist couple of Acharya Harihar Regional Cancer Centre (AHRCC) at Cuttack was the only ones to prescribe the high-priced drugs allegedly manufactured by JBSL Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals Ltd to cancer patients.
During the probe, the anti-corruption bureau found that JBSL claimed to have a unit at Mohali in Punjab under the name of JBSL Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals (Oncology) Division. The company was stated to have a manufacturing unit at VAS Complex in Kotla Nala in Himachal Pradesh's Solan district.
"We sent in a team to verify both the units but found that none existed. During verification, we learnt that neither Punjab nor the HP Government issued any licence to JBSL in their respective States," DG, Vigilance Dr RP Sharma said.
The drugs were costlier than those manufactured by Ranbaxy, Pfizer, Lupin and Sun Pharma even though they were of the same composition but the Drug Control administration of the Health and Family Welfare Department had no clue about it.
Though drug manufacture and sale in the State are supposed to be monitored by Drug Control administration, Sudhansu Das, proprietor of JBSL, managed to market the drug for two years which showed that Drug Control wing was looking the other way while the State Exchequer was bleeding.
The anti-cancer drug scam took advantage of Odisha State Treatment Fund (OSTF) and Biju Krushak Kalyan Yojana (BKKY) schemes of the State Government during December 2013-2015 period when the drugs were available at authorised medicine stores. Patients could procure the medicines under prescription and get the costs reimbursed under the two schemes. In many cases, the high price of the drugs meant that patients exhausted their treatment cost limit quickly as they were made to buy JBSL branded drugs.
The State Government changed the clauses in the schemes in December last year and patients were given the anti-cancer drugs for free at AHRCC, three medical colleges and hospitals as well as at seven district headquarters hospitals.
Vigilance sources said this is when the doctor couple and Das had to discontinue the practice of prescription. However, in the two years, the State Exchequer is estimated to have suffered a loss of `26.75 lakh because of prescription of JBSL drugs.
Contacted, Drug Controller Hrushikesh Mohapatra asserted that JBSL was not a manufacturer but marketed the drug. Asked if the drug is available elsewhere in the State, he said nothing can be revealed as investigation is underway.
The Vigilance has now sent samples of the drugs to Drug Control administration to check chemical composition which can be examined outside the State only.