DCA flags violations in 180 medical shops during inspection drive across State

The Telangana Drugs Control Administration (DCA) conducted a special inspection drive on Wednesday to identify violations in the sale of prescription medicines across retail medical shops in the State.

The drive was aimed at tightening oversight on the sale of Schedule H and Schedule H1 drugs, which include habit-forming substances, abortion kits, and antibiotics that can only be dispensed against a valid prescription issued by a doctor, said a release.

During the Statewide operation, officers detected multiple non-conformities in 180 retail medical shops. These included the sale of Schedule H and Schedule H1 medicines without a valid prescription, stocking of expired drugs, and failure to maintain or produce prescription drug registers, sales bills, and purchase bills.

The officials also reported irregularities in the handling of bill copies and instances where prescription medicines were being sold without the presence of a registered pharmacist. Show-cause notices have been issued to all 180 establishments.