COIMBATORE:
Officials of the food safety and drug administration department claim
they are waiting for test results from the referral laboratory of the
department in Kolkata to initiate action pertaining to the sub-standard
and misbranded dietary supplement that was purchased from Kovai Medical
Centre and Hospital here in the city. The product was found to be
misbranded and unsafe for human consumption in the tests conducted at
the food analysis laboratory in the King's Institute Campus in Chennai.
"I was shocked at the results especially since the supplement was prescribed by a doctor and from the pharmacy of a NABH accredited hospital in the city. But so far the officials from the food safety department did not take measures to seize the product through official channels," alleged Kumar.
However, the designated officer for food safety and drug administration in Coimbatore R Kathiravan claimed that they had communicated the test results to the hospital through a notice dated July 2 informing them about the product. The hospital was also offered an opportunity to confirm the results at the referral laboratory in Kolkata.
"The hospital authorities removed the product from the pharmacy after they got the letter. We are awaiting the test results from the referral laboratory before framing the official charge against them," claimed Kathiravan.
The Food Business Operator has the option, as per section 2.4.6 of the Food Safety and Standard Rules 2011, where the designated officer can forward one part of the sample to the referral lab in Kolkata for final analysis. However the final results are yet to be received and there seems to be some delay. The sample forwarded from Coimbatore on July 30 was received in Kolakata on August 2 as per the acknowledgement receipt.
"Usually, the referral laboratory takes 14 days to do the test and hand over the results
but there has been a slight delay. Based on the results we will initiate legal action against the hospital pharmacy and involved parties if required," Kathiravan added.
Meanwhile, Dr Tamilselvi Periasamy claimed that they had themselves decided to remove the unsafe product from the pharmacy after they were informed about the test results from the food safety department indicating there was no official communication regarding the matter. "There is no need for further action from our side since the product has been removed from the pharmacy. We will take action as per the proper procedures," Kathitravan added.
Meanwhile, D Kumar alleged that he was not informed about the decision to send the sample to Kolkata and the designated officer failed to furnish direct replies to his related queries filed through RTI.
"I was shocked at the results especially since the supplement was prescribed by a doctor and from the pharmacy of a NABH accredited hospital in the city. But so far the officials from the food safety department did not take measures to seize the product through official channels," alleged Kumar.
However, the designated officer for food safety and drug administration in Coimbatore R Kathiravan claimed that they had communicated the test results to the hospital through a notice dated July 2 informing them about the product. The hospital was also offered an opportunity to confirm the results at the referral laboratory in Kolkata.
"The hospital authorities removed the product from the pharmacy after they got the letter. We are awaiting the test results from the referral laboratory before framing the official charge against them," claimed Kathiravan.
The Food Business Operator has the option, as per section 2.4.6 of the Food Safety and Standard Rules 2011, where the designated officer can forward one part of the sample to the referral lab in Kolkata for final analysis. However the final results are yet to be received and there seems to be some delay. The sample forwarded from Coimbatore on July 30 was received in Kolakata on August 2 as per the acknowledgement receipt.
"Usually, the referral laboratory takes 14 days to do the test and hand over the results
but there has been a slight delay. Based on the results we will initiate legal action against the hospital pharmacy and involved parties if required," Kathiravan added.
Meanwhile, Dr Tamilselvi Periasamy claimed that they had themselves decided to remove the unsafe product from the pharmacy after they were informed about the test results from the food safety department indicating there was no official communication regarding the matter. "There is no need for further action from our side since the product has been removed from the pharmacy. We will take action as per the proper procedures," Kathitravan added.
Meanwhile, D Kumar alleged that he was not informed about the decision to send the sample to Kolkata and the designated officer failed to furnish direct replies to his related queries filed through RTI.
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