Meghalaya woman claims nails found in Antibiotic Tablets; probe launched

livemint.com:

PTI, the incident took place on Saturday when the mother found two nails inside two of the ten amoxicillin tablets that the PHC doctors had prescribed. The mother, who declined to give her name, told a local news station that two nails were discovered inside a strip that contained 10 tablets that the health center had given her daughter.

She had complained to the PHC officials, pleading with them to punish anyone responsible for such serious misconduct. Ampareen Lyngdoh, the health minister, immediately assembled a medical team led by senior specialists and a departmental drug inspector, who hurried to the PHC for verification and investigation after learning of the incident.

Upon arrival, it was found that the nail that was supposedly inside the capsule was actually bigger than the capsule itself," Lyngdoh told PTI. She said that this in itself raises doubts about the genuineness of the complaint.

According to the minister, the capsules in other facilities were also checked to see if there were any similar complaints, but there were none. Complaints can be lodged in respective State Drug Control Departments (in some states also called Food and Drug Administration) which issues licenses.

They are also responsible for grievance redressal in case of a complaint against medical stores, take legal actions in event of suspicion of supply of substandard, counterfeit, adulterated, or spurious drugs. All formal complaints regarding professional misconduct of a pharmacist can be brought before the Pharmacy Council of India / concerned State Pharmacy Council for disciplinary action.