Punjab health authorities seize expired medicines worth Rs.43 lakh

Chandigarh: The Food and Drugs Administration in Punjab has seized expired allopathic drugs, which were being illegally repackaged with fresh expiry dates, worth Rs.43 lakh from the premises of a medicine distributor, an officials said on Sunday.

FDA commissioner Hussan Lal said the centralised cell of the FDA raided the premises of Ashoka Distributors in Bathinda town, nearly 240 km from here, and recovered drugs and packaging materials worth approximately Rs.43 lakh.

“The team inspected the premises of M/s Ashoka Distributors situated at Adarsh Nagar, Bathinda, and seized 81 types of allopathic drugs which were stocked for sale and distribution in the premises along with secondary packaging material in huge quantities.

“Most of the drugs were expired and it was suspected by the team that the firm was involved in repackaging of the expired drugs and unethical labelling,” Lal said.

He said the owner could not show the purchase and sale records of the drugs seized.

Lal said that in future also, such raids will be conducted to eliminate the availability of unethical, substandard and habit-forming drugs in Punjab.

IANS