DCGI asks states to keep vigil on sale of falsified versions of 2 drugs following WHO alerts

New Delhi: The Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) has directed the drugs controllers of all states and Union territories to keep a strict vigil on the sale and distribution of falsified versions of two drugs, liver medication Defitelio and Takeda's cancer drug Adcetris (injection), following alerts issued by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

In an advisory on September 5, the DCGI said the WHO has issued a safety alert identified with multiple falsified versions of Adcetris injection 50 mg manufactured by Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, identified in four different countries including India.

"These products are most often available at the patient level and distributed in the unregulated supply chains (mainly online). The products have been identified in both regulated and illicit supply chains, sometimes at patient levels as well. WHO has reported that there are at least eight different batch numbers of falsified versions in circulation," the DCGI said in a communication to the state drugs controllers.