Delhi Govt Raids 25 Cancer Drug Distributors, Sends 55 Samples for Testing, Books 6 Firms
New Delhi: In a major crackdown to safeguard cancer patients from spurious and substandard medicine, the Delhi government's Drug Control Department carried out an extensive enforcement drive last week, conducting raids at 25 distributors of anti-cancer drugs across the national capital. As part of the action, authorities collected 55 samples - including 33 legal samples and 22 specimen samples - which have been sent for laboratory testing to verify their quality and compliance with prescribed standards.
The inspections were carried out following directives to tighten regulatory oversight over lifesaving medicines. Drug inspection teams covered multiple pharmaceutical hubs and areas located near major hospitals in East, South, West and North-West Delhi. These included Laxmi Nagar, Yusuf Sarai, Green Park, Okhla Industrial Area, Paschim Vihar, Dwarka and Rohini. Several distributors operating close to prominent healthcare facilities such as Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Centre in Rohini, Balaji Action Cancer Hospital in Paschim Vihar and Venkateshwar Hospital in Dwarka were also inspected during the drive.
During the inspections, officials detected violations of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules at six firms. Legal proceedings have been initiated against these entities under the applicable provisions of the law. All samples collected during the raids have been forwarded to testing laboratories, and further regulatory action will depend on the outcome of the test reports.
According to officials, the primary aim of the operation was to identify and eliminate any circulation of spurious or substandard anti-cancer medicines in the market. Given the critical nature of oncology drugs, authorities stressed that even minor deviations in quality could pose serious risks to patient safety, particularly for those undergoing chemotherapy and other intensive treatments.
Delhi Health Minister Dr Pankaj Kumar Singh stated that such enforcement drives will continue on a sustained basis to ensure strict monitoring of the supply chain. He also advised government hospitals to procure medicines only from licensed and verified sources and to promptly report any suspected irregularities to the Drug Control Department.
The Health Minister further emphasized that anti-cancer drugs are lifesaving medicines and there will be zero tolerance for any compromise in their quality or safety. He added the government has intensified checks at every level of distribution to ensure that only safe and standard-compliant medicines reach patients, reports The Indian Express.
