‘1,768 stores sealed in Punjab’s drive against spurious drugs’

LAHORE: Chairman Chief Minister Taskforce on Spurious Drugs and Parliamentary Secretary Health Kh Imran Nazir has said concrete steps are being taken to eradicate the stigma of spurious and substandard drugs from the province and to ensure provision of quality medicines to people.

While giving details of six months performance of the taskforce, Khawaja Imran said the taskforce and the drug inspectors of the Health Department sent 54,753 samples to drug testing laboratories of the province out of which 437 were declared substandard while 29 were found spurious. He said drug inspectors sealed 1,768 medical stores and FIRs were lodged against 158 culprits.

Kh Imran Nazir said 172 cases were sent to the Provincial Quality Control Board and 3,397 cases were sent to the districts quality control boards. He disclosed that action has also been taken against 65 people on account of illegal advertisements.

Moreover, 1,813 cases have been sent to the Drug Courts and the Courts decided 1,494 cases. During the last 6 months, Rs 38,867,000 fine was imposed and a total 64 years and 7 months imprisonment was awarded to the culprits involved in this heinous crime. Kh Imran Nazir said strict punishments have been proposed in the amended draft of Drug Act.