Question : EXPIRED MEDICINES AND NON-SURGICAL ITEMS

(a) whether the cases of use of expired medicines/non-surgical consumables by the hospitals in the country have come to the notice of the Government during each of the last three years, if so, the details thereof, hospital-wise along with the action taken/ being taken by the Government in such cases so far;

(b) the mechanism/methodology adopted by the Government to ensure that the expired medicines /non-surgical consumable items are kept away from the Government and private hospitals in the country;

(c) whether the Government has constituted any Committee in this regard, if so, the details thereof along with the main recommendations of the Committee; and

(d) the other corrective steps taken/being taken by the Government in this regard?

THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI JAGAT PRAKASH NADDA)

(a)to (d):‘Health’ being the State subject, information as such is not maintained, centrally. In so far as three Central Government hospitals in Delhi viz. Safdarjung Hospital, Dr. RML Hospital and Lady Hardinge Medical College and associated hospitals and as well as JIPMER, Puducherry are concerned, no case of expired medicines/non-surgical consumables by these hospitals have come to the notice during the last three years.

In so far as three central Government Hospital in Delhi viz. Safdarjung Hospital, Dr. RML Hospital and Lady Hardinge Medical College and associated hospitals are concerned, Medicines procured by the hospital are physically inspected by the inspection Committee and medicines with adequate shelf life are only accepted. Test report certifying the quality of medicines is provided along with the supply and random quality check is done in the hospitals also.

Medicines procured by the hospital are physically inspected by inspection committee after which entries are made in stock ledgers. Annual Physical Verification of the stock is done.

The procurement of drugs for JIPMER is through online tender process from GMP certified manufacturers and if any complaint is received from the use department, the supply will be rejected and the blacklisting of the firm is recommended.