Pharma distributor’s licence cancelled over Kota deaths

THe Rajasthan do drugs verify section has cancelled the licence of a Kota-based pharmaceutic distributer accused of supplying fake oxytocin injections to Kota hospitals, where several women died after Caesarean deliveries, even as the World Health Organisation (WHO) has sought a report from the Union government on the case.The matter pertains tofive maternal deaths at JK Lon Hospital and the Super Speciality Wing of the Government Medical College in Kota from May 5 to May 17. Earlier, the authorities revoked the manufacturing licence of the Amritsar-based company from which the injections were sourced.According to Dr. Nirmala Sharma, Superintendent of J K Lone hospital, Kota, oxytocin is administered to induce labour and to prevent excessive bleeding after childbirth.The licence cancellation followed an inspection conducted on May 19 at the distributor’s premises in Jaipur’s Indraprastha industrial area, where officials reportedly found fake oxytocin injections and several regulatory violations.In an order issued on June 23, assistant drug controller Devendra Garg said samples of Tosin-brand oxytocin injections supplied to hospitals had failed quality tests. Laboratory analysis found the oxytocin content in the injections to be nil, effectively rendering the drug ineffective.The investigation also revealed discrepancies in the firm’s procurement and sales records. Officials found that the distributor had purchased 9,300 doses from Amritsar-based M/s Jackson Laboratories but had sold 10,050 doses. The gap has raised questions over the source of the additional 750 injections that allegedly entered the market.During the inspection, officials also found that a firm representative, identified as Shadab Khan, was absent, while proprietor Mahesh Mittal was allegedly handling the sale and distribution of medicines. A show-cause notice was issued to the firm on May 21 seeking an explanation for the irregularities.HT tried to reach out to the owner of the company but did not get a response.HT also tried to reach out to WHO and the health ministry to seek a response on the action taken over maternal deaths in Kota. However, no response was received till the time of going to print.Officials said a probe is underway to find that the alleged spurious drug supply chain contributed to the maternal deaths and whether regulatory lapses allowed the alleged fake injections to reach patients in government hospitals.