Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Mar 19: A Government laboratory in Jammu has found drugs supplied to Indian System of Medicine (ISM) not only substandard but poisonous, with some of them containing heavy metals including poisonous lead, 18000 percent more than permissible limits.
As per test reports, 16 drugs, the samples (taken from Drug store in Jammu by Assistant Director, Directorate of ISM) of which were sent for testing last year, have been declared sub-standard and not fit for human consumption by Quality Control and Quality Assurance Division of Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM) Jammu with some of them containing heavy metals beyond permissible limits.
The Test report (5138 dated 08-03-2017) of Madhumerin Tablet (Batch No. P-3540 Mfg August 2016) suggests that it contains Lead and Mercury beyond permissible limits. The tablets contain 1802.4 grammes of lead per kilogramme when permissible limit is 10 grammes per kilogramme and Mercury 3.1 grammes per kilogramme when permissible limit for it is 1 gramme per kilogramme.
The Test report (5137dated 08-03-2017) of Leucocide Tablet (Batch No. P-3519 Mfg August 2016), suggests that it contains Lead and Mercury beyond permissible limits. The tablets contain 1461.2 grammes lead per kilogramme when permissible limit is 10 grammes per kilogramme and Mercury 25.7 grammes per kilogramme when permissible limit is 1 gramme per kilogramme.
The drugs that have been found sub-standard and not fit for human consumption by Quality Control and Quality Assurance Division of IIIM Jammu are: Somco Tablet (Batch No. P 3552 Mfg August 2016), Ayunzyme Tablet (Batch No. P 3547 Mfg August 2016), Hepta-10 (Batch No. P 3551 Mfg August 2016), Pilease Tablet (Batch No. P 352o Mfg August 2016), Remedin (Batch No. P 3542 Mfg August 2016), Shilapex Tablet (Batch No. P 3552 Mfg August 2016), Dermacid Tablet (Batch No. P 3517 Mfg August 2016), Hridyeshu Tablet (Batch No. P 3518 Mfg August 2016), Allayu (Batch No. P 3539 Mfg August 2016), Rheumalin Tablet (Batch No. P 3522 Mfg August 2016), Leucocide Tablet (Batch No. P-3519 Mfg August 2016), Madhumerin Tablet (Batch No. P-3540 Mfg August 2016) and Madhu Mardhan Powder (Batch No. 580 Mfg September 2016).
It may be mentioned here that these drugs are part of worth Rs 3 crore medicine procured by former Director General of ISM, Dr Abdul Kabir Dar, last year without any Government approval. The Government Order (No. 37-HME of 2016 dated 22-01-2016), issued by the Commissioner / Secretary Health and Medical Education, had given the DG ISM permission to procure the drugs directly from the market till February 2016 but these drugs were purchased in summer 2016.
The drugs are normally tested before they are being supplied to the hospitals and drug stores but these drugs were sent for testing by the Health Department a month (22-12-2016) after Vigilance Organization exposed the spurious drug scam in ISM in November last year. The then DG ISM was, however, attached soon after the expose but, sources said, no action has been taken against those responsible for purchase of these poisonous drugs due to political pressure.
Majority of these sub-standard and poisons drugs have been consumed by patients but, sources said, some of these drugs are still in the drug stores and hospitals of ISM across the State and are being prescribed by doctors.
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