ISLAMABAD: District Health Department of Islamabad has seized over 93,000 Xanax tablets used for anti-anxiety that were being sold in several medical stores through the distributors in the federal capital with impunity.
On receiving complaints regarding the illegal purchase and sale of such controlled drugs particularly Xanax, Senior Drug Inspector of Islamabad Sardar Shabbir Ahmed took notice of the situation and made a surprise visit to the United Distributors Limited (UDL), which is the authorised agent of Ms Pfizer, the manufacturer of Xanax.
Purchase and sale record of UDL has been seized and it showed illegal distribution of Xanax to some medical stores operating in Islamabad which are not sanctioned for sale of such drug.
Accordingly, the stocks of Xanax available with UDL distributors have been sealed and case under Drug Act, 1976 has been registered against the said distributor.
The drug manufacturing firm (Pfizer) has also been issued notice to provide the manufacturing and sale record of the drug.
In light of sale record seized from UDL, purchase record of various pharmacies is being verified along with their sale record.
Nine medical stores have been raided and the drug Xanax along with purchase invoices has been confiscated from these stores.
The stores which have been raided include Sky Chemist Aabpara, City Chemist Aabpara, Health Zone Medical Store Aabpara, AL Haram Medical Store I-10 Mehtab Medical Store I 10, Services Medical Store I-10, Tariq Medical Store I-9, Hashim Medical Store I-9, and Islamabad Medical Store I-9.
All these stores have been sealed, stocks have been seized and cases under Drugs Act have been registered against their owners and pharmacists as well.
The record seized from UDL indicates illegal purchase by around 20 medical stores. Action against those remaining outlets shall be taken in next couple of days.
Sardar Shabbir Ahmed further clarified that complete audit of other distributors dealing with controlled drugs would be conducted in coming days and strict action would be taken against those found involved in any illegal activity.
He said drug which is supposed to be sold only on doctor’s advice in Pharmacies were being sold in medical stores.
Meanwhile, all the pharmacists serving in pharmacies have been directed to ensure their presence and compliance with the legal requirements with regard to controlled drugs.
Quantity seized includes Xanax 0.25 mg 17000 tablets, Xanax 0.5 mg 72000 tablets, and Xanax 1 mg 4000 tablets.