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The Hindu
21-07-2025
- The Hindu
Joint Director, Food and Drug Administration caught red-handed while receiving bribe ₹25,000
The officers of Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC)on Monday arrested caught red-handed P.U. Karthikeyan, 59, Joint Director of Drugs Control, Food and Drug Administration while demanding and receiving ₹25,000 bribe from a soap factory proprietor for processing an application for permission. Karthikeyan is also holding the incharge of the post of Director of Drug Control. According to DVAC, Saravanan, proprietor of Our Green India Soap Factory, Gudiyatham, Vellore, gave an application to the Food and Drug Administration department seeking a permit for production of organic soaps. Reportedly, as Joint Director Karthikeyan demanded Rs 1 lakh as bribe from Saravanan and said his application would be taken for processing if ₹25,000 is paid as advance. Police said unwilling to pay the bribe to Karthikeyan, Saravanan informed to DVAC, Chennai unit about this demand. The DVAC officers laid a trap proceeding. When Saravanan met Karthikeyan on Monday at latter's office on DMS campus, the latter reiterated his demand of ₹25, 000 bribe as an advance to process the application and Saravanan also gave ₹25,000 to Karthikeyan. The officers of DVAC caught Karthikeyan red-handed while receiving bribe. The DVAC arrested Karthikeyan and seized ₹25, 000. Further proceeding is on.
New Indian Express
26-06-2025
- Health
- New Indian Express
Drug administration department intensifies checks against home-made cosmetics in Tamil Nadu
COIMBATORE: Due to concerns about the rising number of substandard homemade cosmetic products being marketed on social media, the drug administration, working under the health department, has compiled a list of approximately 66 units across the state that sell these products, primarily through social media promotions. The department has begun to verify whether these products are being produced in compliance with the rules set by the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. A senior official from the department said they have received complaints about social media handles promoting homemade cosmetic products. About 66 units have been listed in the complaint and block-level checks at these units through district-level officials have been initiated based on the instructions given by the Director of Drugs Control, PU Karthigeyan. If necessary, legal action will be taken against manufacturing units under Section 18(c) of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, said officials. There are around 38 basic products classified under the category of 'personal care and cosmetics', which include skin powder, skin powder for infants, tooth powder, toothpaste, skin creams, hair oils, shampoo, nail polish enamel, after-shave lotion, powder hair dyes, henna mehendi powder, sindoor, face pack, kajal, cold wax hair remover, cream bleach, and toilet soap, among others. "There are 340 cosmetics manufacturers across the state and 37 in the Coimbatore region that will be subjected to periodic checks. Additionally, we have intensified our checks against units that promote their products on social media, without obtaining the necessary licences. Of 66, two units were found doing promotions in the Coimbatore region," said S Marimuthu, Assistant Director of Drug Control, Coimbatore zone.
Time of India
14-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Drug control scanner on 51 below-quality meds, list sent to retailers & wholesalers
Kolkata: The West Bengal Drug Control has found 51 medicines, manufactured by various pharma companies, which failed quality tests. A list for the same has been sent to the wholesalers and retailers of medicines in the state. In the notification dated May 2, the deputy director of Drugs Control has pointed out at least 45 medicines which are not of standard quality. At least five medicines are termed as spurious and one medicine was found to be 'misbranded'.Many of these medicines were drawn and tested by the Food and Drug Administration at Mumbai. Of the list of medicines, the directorate found batches of a number of medicines which are of daily use.A batch of Acelofenac, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug used for the relief of pain and inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis, was manufactured by an India govt enterprise. Another batch of Cefuroxime Axetil, used in the treatment of bacterial infection was also manufactured by the same enterprise. Both the medicines were found to be not of standard quality.A batch of Telmisartan, used in the treatment of high blood pressure and hypertension was also found to be not of standard quality. It was manufactured by one of the largest pharma companies in India.
New Indian Express
22-04-2025
- Health
- New Indian Express
Delay in land allotment hits progress of TN's first medical devices testing lab
COIMBATORE: The state government is set to establish the first Medical Devices Testing Laboratory in Coimbatore district for Rs 29.67 crore. However, sources said the project is yet to commence due to delay in land identification process by the district administration. The Medical Devices Rules, under the Drug and Cosmetics (D&C) Act, came into effect in January 2018, bringing medical devices under the broader umbrella of the Act. It required manufacturers, importers and sellers to obtain necessary permissions for their activities. Testing medical devices at government-owned laboratories is also a part of the rules. However, the drug administration department in Tamil Nadu has not performed any tests on medical devices due to the lack of a specialised laboratory in the state. After long, the project was officially announced in December 2024. Health Minister Ma Subramanian officially announced the project during demands for grants, sources said. Based on the proposal from the Director of Drugs Control, Tamil Nadu, the central government approved the plan of establishing a well-equipped NABL (National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories) accredited laboratory for testing medical devices, including in-vitro diagnostics, exclusively in Coimbatore. In a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the central and state government under the Strengthening of State Drug Regulatory System scheme, Rs 29.67 crore was allocated for the project in mid-2024-25, in a fund sharing ratio of 60:40 by the centre and the state, respectively. Sources said there has been no progress in setting up the laboratory. "Considering the importance of the standard of medical devices, the central government introduced separate rules to them, and this mandates proper testing at laboratories. Even after the rule came into force, it could not be followed as there is no proper lab facility. While the establishment of the laboratory is expected to play a major role in testing medical devices across the state, the ongoing delay in land identification has raised concerns that the allocated funds might be returned as they remain unused," said sources. "There are well-equipped laboratories for drugs in Chennai and Madurai. As we have medical device manufacturers in Coimbatore region, and it is also an industrial hub, we chose to establish the device testing laboratory here. This lab is to test class A and B category medical devices. We need around one acre, including 20,000 sqft for the laboratory. Once the Coimbatore district administration identifies the land, we can start work through the Public Works Department. We sent a letter to the Coimbatore district collector, and a communication through the health secretary. We hope to get the land allotment soon," said MN Sridhar, Director of Drugs Control. Coimbatore District Collector Pavankumar G Giriyappanavar said, "We have shortlisted few parcels of lands, and will finalise it at the earliest as we are in the final stage of confirming the land."
