The Telangana Drugs Control Administration (DCA), conducted a Statewide special drive on Saturday to verify regulatory compliance and operational practices in medical shops across the State, during which officials detected irregularities in 144 pharmacies.

According to the DCA, the violations identified during inspections included dispensing prescription medicines in the absence of a registered pharmacist, failure to maintain or produce sales bills, non-maintenance of prescription drug registers and Schedule H1 drug registers, and failure to produce purchase bills for medicines stocked in shops. 

The DCA officials also found instances of sale of drugs without prescriptions from registered medical practitioners, improper maintenance of copies of sales and purchase bills, improper storage of thermolabile drugs, and stocking of expired medicines alongside saleable stock. 

The department said show-cause notices had been issued to all 144 medical shops where violations were detected, and further action would be initiated under the provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, and the rules framed under it. 

The DCA also appealed to the public to report complaints related to illegal activities involving medicines and suspected drug manufacturing activities. Complaints can be lodged through the department’s toll-free helpline 1800-599-6969, operational on working days between 10.30 a.m. and 5 p.m.