New Delhi: The CDSCO has issued show cause notices to 31 firms based on representations raising concerns over the sale of drugs online or through other electronic platforms in contravention to the provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, the government informed the Lok Sabha on Friday. Cases concerning the quality of drugs, when reported, was is taken up with the State Licensing Authority (SLA) concerned for necessary action under the provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar said in a written reply.

The SLAs are empowered to take action on violation of any conditions of such licenses, including prosecution in an appropriate court of law.

She also told the Lower House of Parliament that as informed by Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), various representations are received raising concerns regarding the sale of drugs through online or other electronic platforms in contravention to the provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.

Based on findings in these representations, CDSCO issued show cause notices on February 8 and 9 to 31 firms engaged in the online sale of the drugs, Pawar said.

The CDSCO and Ministry of Health have taken regulatory measures to ensure the quality of medicines in the country as part of which the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, was amended under the Drugs and Cosmetics (Amendment) Act, 2008, to provide stringent penalties for manufacture of spurious and adulterated drugs, the minister said in her written reply.

Certain offences have also been made cognizable and non-bailable. States and Union Territories have set up special courts for the speedy disposal of trials of offences under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.

The number of sanctioned posts in CDSCO has significantly increased in the last 10 years and to ensure the efficacy of drugs, the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945, have been amended providing that the applicant shall submit the result of bioequivalence study along with the application for grant of manufacturing license of oral dosage form of some drugs.

With the amendment of the rules, it has also been made mandatory that before the grant of manufacturing license, the manufacturing establishment is to be inspected jointly by the Drugs Inspectors of central and state governments, Pawar said.