Pharma companies producing fake drugs to face action

The Punjab government has decided to take serious action against the pharmaceutical companies producing spurious drugs and has asked the federal government to allow it to de-register these companies, sources said here on Wednesday.
The Health Department of Punjab has prepared a summary in this regard and sent it to Ministry of Health in Islamabad. The Provincial Health Minister will visit Islamabad this week and meet the Federal Health Minister and Secretary Health to discuss the issue", sources said while talking to this scribe.
The sources concerned said the Punjab Health department did not have the powers to take to task the companies involved in producing spurious, fake and substandard medicines besides it did not have the authority to de-register or register them.
"The department has the authority to issue the licences, test the drugs through Drug Testing Laboratory (DTL) and also seal the pharmacy shops and medical stores having the fake and spurious medicines. But, it cannot de-register the pharmaceutical companies or take action against the said manufacturers," they said.
As per officials, after having the Health Ministry approval, the Punjab government would launch crackdown against the manufactures, producing fake and spurious medicines, as a part of its campaign against the menace.
A top official of the Health Department underscored the need for taking stringent action against the manufacturers and the companies to root out the menace from the society - the department must have powers to pursue the matter.
As per sources the Health Department had noted in its own observation and through the cases reported in this regard, that the business of spurious medicines is multiplying.
"The top officials discussed the issue in an official meeting the other day that the spurious medicines are being produced in every corner of the province.
According to them, a summary prepared by the department had suggested that the province should be empowered to de-register companies, producing spurious medicines.