Last Updated on January 20, 2024 by The Health Master
39 cases of non-compliance to EC Order and D&C Act
In its ongoing crackdown on illegal sale of hand sanitisers and masks, the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has detected 39 cases of non-compliance to Essential Commodities (EC) Order and Drugs and Cosmetics (D&C) Act out of the total 158 calls received through its toll free helpline numbers.
Stock seized
It has also seized stock worth Rs. 94 lakhs of hand sanitisers and masks based on 2,379 inspections and total 5 raids since April 21 till date. The state drug regulator had earlier seized stock worth Rs. 1.80 crore hand sanitisers and masks based on 10,339 inspections over the past two weeks.
The FDA officials have maintained that they are keeping a strict vigil to maintain adequate supplies of PPE kits, hand sanitizers, masks and medicines in the state. The state drug regulator has been receiving cases of non-compliance to EC Order and D&C Act over the past one month through its Toll free number 1800222365 and 022 26592362/ 26592263/ 26592365. The state drug regulator has resolved around 121 cases of non-compliance D&C Act in the past based on 404 calls at Toll free numbers.
Also read: FDA initiates action against 2 companies
Inspections
The state regulator also conducted 54 raids on firms and seized of hand sanitisers and masks worth Rs. 1.77 crore based on 8,033 inspections in the month of March. At present, alcohol-based hand sanitisers are the only known means for rapidly and effectively inactivating a wide array of potentially harmful microorganisms on hands.
Maharashtra FDA has also appealed to the citizens to report all issues related to unavailability of medicines and black marketing of essential drugs and products at the toll free numbers.
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