Contaminated medicine: "Show cause" on six Indian companies

The six Indian companies who supplied medicine contaminated with strange particles have been asked to submit explanations by the Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry, a Ministry spokesman said.

It was reported that several contaminated vials with medicine and saline bottles were found in certain hospitals in the country. The Ministry will conduct a full scale probe today regarding the recent issues in the health sector such as a death following the injection of the Rubella vaccine, discovery of particles in drug vials and saline bottles.

The Ministry has advised the drug suppliers to present themselves at the National Drug Authority where an inquiry will be conducted into the contaminated drugs. Local agents of the Indian suppliers have also been advised to be present at the inquiry. If the local agents or suppliers fail to be present at the inquiry, they would be subjected to any decision taken by the Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry unilaterally." Most probably the manufacturers will be blacklisted if the manufacturers are found guilty or the registration of the particular drug will be cancelled," sources said.