Licences Suspended, Med Sale Ban: News18 'Fake' Pharmacists Exposé Pushes Bihar Govt to Find Cure

Taking note of CNN-News18’s exposé across cities and follow-ups on fake pharmacies over months, the Bihar government has suspended the licences of 1,781 medical stores in 31 districts, cancelled one licence, banned the sale of medicines in 965 pharmacies in nine districts due to the absence of a pharmacist and submitted the record of 630 pharmacists from 16 districts to the Pharmacy Council of Bihar to check their veracity. A first information report (FIR), too, has been filed against one fraudster posing as a pharmacist. The state government revealed the details of the action taken in its report in the Patna High Court.

Through its reportage on “fake" pharmacists, starting with a sting operation in December, CNN-News18 exposed how medical stores were run without pharmacists and many were selling lifesaving drugs without a degree. CNN-News18 had also reported on how a pharmacist with a degree from the Uttar Pradesh Pharmacy Council was working in a private hospital in Bihar. CNN-News18 also reported on students working in pharmacies on behalf of pharmacists.

CNN-News18 highlighted how the names of pharmacists whose licences were cancelled by the Jharkhand High Court appeared on the list of voters of the Pharmacy Council of Bihar in 2022. None were found in apron or with badges at the chemist stores. The months-long investigations exposed the violation of Pharmacy Regulation Act, 2015 in Bihar’s cities.

THREE MONTHS AFTER ASSURANCES BY CM, DEPUTY CM

CNN-News18 had posed a question to CM Nitish Kumar and Health Minister Tejashwi Yadav about this irregularity and both the top leaders had assured strict action after considering the sting operations.

“You can give us your report. I will ask the department concerned to look into it and definitely take action," the chief minister had said.

Talking to CNN-News18, Yadav had said: “You did good work. We want a proper functioning of the state. Will take cognizance of your report. If someone is doing wrong, then he will be punished. I will ask my officers to investigate and take appropriate action."

The action has come after three months.

‘90% PHARMACISTS FAKE’

According to the state’s report, in capital Patna alone, licences of 165 medical stores were suspended, 632 retail shops were reported working without pharmacists, and records of nine pharmacists were sent to pharmacy council to verify whether they had a degree. Gaya topped with maximum number of pharmacists (299) under the scanner. Kishanganj had the maximum number of medical shops whose licences were cancelled (186).

Mukesh Kumar, the petitioner in Patna High court in this case, alleged that almost 90% medical stores and hospitals are working through fake pharmacists. “I thank the efforts of CNN-News18 and appreciate the genuine sting operations on fake pharmacists. The pharmacists’ association and all genuine chemists are grateful to your channel for bringing out the case studies. We had no proof to present in the High court earlier. At present, fake pharmacists have outnumbered the real ones and our demand investigation of the whole nexus by an independent agency, as drug officials who themselves are involved in this scam can’t probe fairly. This is just a tip of the iceberg, around 90% are fake."

After the action of Bihar government, voices from other states such as Telangana and Odisha are being raised on social media.

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