The Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) has sealed 378 pharmacies and patent medicine vendor shops in Taraba State.

The Director, Enforcement, Stephen Esumobi, who said this yesterday at a press briefing in Jalingo, the state capital, noted that the council’s actions was part of efforts geared towards distributing safe and quality medicines to the consumers.

Stressing that the Council has been charged with the responsibility of regulating the education, training and pharmaceutical practice in all ramifications, he said, the need to clamp down on pharmaceutical and patent medicine vendors going contrary to the regulations become necessary.

“Sad that even those that registered do not bother to renew their license most of the patent medicine vendors, as lamented by him are engaged in activities beyond their scope and also stock products outside their approved drug lists including ethical medicines and substances of abuse,” he said.

Out of the 546 premises that were visited by the council, 378 premises, according to him, were sealed, while 24 compliance directives were issued.

Rather than sourcing drugs from no genuine sources, the Council, through Esumobi, admonished them to source all drugs from registered pharmaceutical companies.

Some of the affected pharmaceutical and patent medicine vendors who spoke with The Guardian, admitted their wrongs, but claimed that they were working round the clock to correct their mistakes in order to have their premises reopened.