Jan Aushadhi centres in Karnataka could face legal action if they sell branded medicines or fail to meet quality requirements, Health Minister U.T. Khader has warned. The minister said inspections had found several centres allegedly violating the rules governing the affordable-medicine network.
Responding to questions about the functioning of Jan Aushadhi centres, Khader said the outlets were not permitted to sell branded medicines. He also said action would be taken if deficiencies were found in the quality of medicines supplied through the centres.
The minister said the Union government should monitor whether Jan Aushadhi centres were following the prescribed rules and selling only permitted medicines. He added that the quality of medicines being supplied to the centres must be ensured.
According to Khader, state inspections had found that several Jan Aushadhi centres were selling other medicines in violation of the rules. The report did not identify the centres involved or specify the number of outlets where such violations were detected.
The minister said authorities would examine the manufacturer details, quality certificates, batch numbers and supply chains of medicines available at the centres. These checks are intended to establish whether the medicines being sold have the required documentation and can be traced through the supply network.
Jan Aushadhi centres are intended to provide medicines at lower prices than many branded alternatives, making compliance and quality assurance important for residents who depend on them for affordable treatment. Any unauthorised sale of medicines could affect both the pricing framework and the ability of authorities to track the products supplied to patients.
Khader said action would be taken against the concerned institutions and suppliers if deficiencies were found in medicine quality. His comments place responsibility on both the outlets selling the medicines and the agencies involved in their supply.
The minister did not announce a specific deadline for the inspections or identify the next enforcement steps. Further action will depend on the findings of checks into manufacturers, quality certification, batch information and supply-chain records.
