Hyderabad: DCA raids quacks, seizes drugs

Hyderabad: The Telangana Drugs Control Administration (DCA) raids the premises of quacks who were claiming themselves as ‘Rural Medical Practitioners’ and practicing medicine without proper qualifications at their clinics.

The raid was conducted at the Spandana Clinic at Gachibowli in Ranga Reddy, which was owned by P Dharma Reddy and Sri Venkateswara Clinic, and the diagnostics of Medchal-Malkajgiri were owned by Gajji Sudhakar, where medicines, including antibiotics, steroids, analgesics, cough syrups, anti-ulcer drugs, anti-diabetics, and anti-hypertensives, were found stocked at the premises. DCA officials seized the stocks, worth a total of Rs 18,000.

DCA officials detected several higher-generation ‘antibiotics’ at the clinics. The indiscriminate sale of antibiotics by unqualified persons may have disastrous consequences for the health of the rural public, including the emergence of ‘antimicrobial resistance’.

Officials found steroids at the clinics of quacks. Misusing steroids can have serious health consequences, including immune system suppression, hormonal imbalances, muscle and bone weakness, cardiovascular problems, and psychological effects. The indiscriminate use of steroids poses significant risks to public health.

B Praveen, drugs inspector, Shameerpet; A Shylaja Rani, drugs inspector, Serilingampally; and D Swetha Bindu, drugs inspector, Gandipet, are among the officers who carried out the raids.

DCA officers lifted the samples for analysis. Further investigation will be carried out, and action will be taken as per the law against all the offenders.

In another raid, DCA officials seized alozole-100 capsules (itraconazole capsules 100 mg) at Patancheru, in Sangareddy district.

According to DCA, itraconazole capsules sold under the brand name alozole-100 capsules are under price control as per the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013, and the price of a product shall be determined by the ceiling price fixed by the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), Government of India.

The product manufactured by Gujarat Pharmaceuticals, Chikhodra, Gujarat, and marketed by Alloes Pharmaceuticals Pvt Ltd Ahmedabad, bears an MRP of Rs 200 for 10 capsules, i.e., Rs 20 per capsule, on the label of the product, which is a violation of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013.

The ceiling price fixed by the Central Government, including the wholesale price index for itraconazole capsules 100 mg, is Rs 16.67 for one capsule (the ceiling price).

Hence, the Maximum Retail Price (MRP), including GST 12 per cent should not be more than Rs 18.69 for one capsule.

The firm overpriced the product, charging an excess of Rs 13.10 for 10 capsules, which is a violation of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013.