the goan I network
PANAJI
Directorate of Food and Drugs Administration has banned the sale of steroid-based pharmaceutical products without a prescription from a certified medical practitioner.
As per the notification issued by the central government, steroidal drugs such as Alclometasone, Beclomethasone, Betamathasone, Desonide, Desoximetasone, Dexamethasone, Diflorasone diacetate, Fluocinonide, Fluocinolone acetonide, Halobetasol Propionate, Halometasone, Methylprednisone, Prednicarbate, Triamcinolone acetonide, under schedule H, as per Rule 97 of Drugs and Cosmetics Act and the formulations containing these drugs are to be sold only on the prescription of Registered Medical Practitioner (RMP) and are to be supplied only under the personal supervision of a registered pharmacist.
In addition to this, the FDA has also banned the rapid diagnostic kit used in detecting malaria antibodies. FDA has informed all the drugs retailers, wholesalers, manufactures, government hospitals, districts hospitals, urban health centers, community health centers, primary health centers and dispensaries under the Directorate of Health services, Goa Medical College and Hospital, ESI hospitals, dispensaries, MPT hospitals, diagnostic laboratories, private nursing homes, hospitals, Goa Medical Council, Indian Medical Association as well as all the registered medical practitioners across the state that test kits used in ‘Antibody Detecting Rapid Diagnostic Test’ for routine diagnosis of Malaria is banned with immediate effect for manufacture, sale and distribution.
The FDA has also advised food sellers against handling currency and food simultaneously.
FDA sought to point out that handling of currency with unclean and soiled hands, use of saliva during counting and storage under unhygienic conditions leads to its contamination with harmful microorganisms.
“Cross contamination from currency is a risk to human health leading to a wide variety of disease including food poisoning and skin, respiratory and gastrointestinal infections. Children, pregnant women, aged and immune-compromised person are particularly vulnerable to such infections,” the FDA has stated in a press note.
FDA has further recommended the use of gloves to handle food and bare hands to handle currency.
