Rao expressed concern over "unsafe medicines have entered our healthcare system leading to the tragic incident of loss of five pregnant women in Ballari.
Bengaluru: Pointing at some of the pharmaceutical companies that manufactured drugs mainly based in Madhya Pradesh failed ‘sterility testing in Karnataka and Minister of Health Dinesh Gundu Rao on Friday asked Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare J.P. Nadda to initiate steps to withdraw the supply of substandard drugs to Karnataka which put the lives of patients in danger.
Rao expressed concern over "unsafe medicines have entered our healthcare system leading to the tragic incident of loss of five pregnant women in Ballari."
In a letter to J.P. Nadda, Dinesh Gundu Rao pointed out to the Union Minister 9 injectable drugs manufactured in other States failed “sterility testing’ in Karnataka laboratories and stated a sample of Metronidazole Injection IP 100 ml manufactured in Ramnagar of West Bengal was subjected to testing in State laboratories and it was found “not of standard quality.”
Similarly, Rao stated Diclofenac Sodium Injection manufactured by Alpa Laboratories in Indore, Madhya Pradesh was also found to be “not of standard quality.” Other drugs which were tested and found to be of substandard quality include Dextrose Injection manufactured by Rusoma Laboratories, Indore of Madhya Pradesh, Metronidazole Injection 10 ml manufactured by IHL Lifesciences Private Limited in Madhya Pradesh, Frusemide Injection 2 ml manufactured in Haryana, Piperacillin and Tazobactam for Injection manufactured in Indore of Madhya Pradesh and Calcium Gluconate Injection manufactured by MS Regain Laboratories in Hisar of Haryana.
Rao said Ondansetron Injection manufactured by MS Regain Laboratories in Hisar of Haryana and Atropine Sulphate Injection manufactured by Martin and Brown Bio-Sciences of Himachal Pradesh are the other two drugs found to be of substandard quality revealed by testing in State labs.
While asking the Union Minister to withdraw drugs manufactured by these companies, Rao said “It is highly likely that other contaminated drugs manufactured by these companies are being sold in other states of the country and wanted its immediate withdrawal from the market.
Rao wanted the Union Minister not to allow these companies to sell their drugs until they are inspected by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO).
