DCA seizes illegal fairness cream

Hyderabad: The State Drugs Control Administration (DCA) seized a drug by name ‘Fair and Bright Cream’, at Miryalguda, for making a claim on the label that it ‘improves skin colour’, which is a prohibited claim for drugs as per the Drugs Rules.

According to DCA, the officials of Nalgonda Zone detected a drug that is moving into the market under the brand name ‘Fair and Bright’ cream (Hydroquinone, Tretinoin, and Mometasone Furoate Cream) with the prohibited claim ‘improves skin colour’ on its label.

The officials said on Tuesday, DCA officials detected the drug ‘Fair and Bright’ cream at Sri Gopi Krishna Medicals, Islampura, Miryalguda, which claims on the label as hydroquinone in the cream that lightens the dark patches of skin. Tretinoin in it improves the appearance of the skin by diminishing fine wrinkle lines. Reducing toughness and improving skin colour.

The product is a drug, and the claim to improve skin colour is a prohibited claim for a drug as per ‘Schedule J’ of the Drugs Rules. The officials said the drug with a prohibited claim was manufactured by BCL Pharma, Rampur Majri, Dhaulakuan, Dist Sirmour, Himachal Pradesh, and marketed by M/s Ashley Pharmatech Pvt Ltd, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi.

The DCA officials seized stocks worth Rs 10,080 during the raid. K Dass, assistant director, Nalgonda, and K Someshwar, drugs inspector, Miryalguda, and G Surender, drugs inspector, Suryapet, carried out the raid.

In another case, DCA raided a quack’s clinic and seized drugs worth Rs 50,000 stocked for sale at Kaldurthy Village, Bodhan Mandal, Nizamabad District.

The DCA raided a quack, Samaresh Halder, claiming himself as a rural medical practitioner and practicing medicine without qualification at his clinic, ‘Shriya Clinic', and detected the unauthorised stocking of huge quantities of medicines for sale.

During the raid, the officials seized 52 varieties of medicines, including antibiotics, steroids, anti-ulcer drugs, anti-hypertensives, and analgesics, totaling Rs 50,000.

Indiscriminate sale of antibiotics by an unqualified person may have disastrous consequences for the health of the public in rural areas, including the emergence of ‘Antimicrobial Resistance’.

N Narsaiah, assistant director, Nizamabad, and R Srilatha, drugs inspector, Nizamabad Rural, carried out the raid.