DCA seizes mislabeled medicines

Hyderabad: The Telangana State Drug Control Administration (DCA) conducted simultaneous raids at multiple locations targeting illegal drug operations, overpricing, and misleading advertisements.

According to DCA, the teams conducted a raid at a medical shop located in Shameerpet in Medchal-Malkajgiri district and seized overpriced medicine ‘Testra-200 Capsules.’ The product was being sold at Rs 29.80 per capsule, while the ceiling price fixed by the Central government, including the Wholesale Price index is Rs 22.12 for one capsule. Hence, the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) should not be more than Rs 24.77 for one capsule.

In another raid, the DCA seized certain medicines due to misleading advertisements. The medicines were P-Mycetin Ointment, an allopathic medicine that claimed to treat ‘Diseases of the Eye,’ and Mahasudarshan Kadha, an Ayurvedic medicine that claimed to treat ‘Fever.’

Stocks of ‘P-Mycetin Ointment’ were seized during the raid carried out at the medical shop in Kapra in Medchal-Malkajgiri district. Stocks of ‘Mahasudarshan Kadha’ were seized during the raid at a medical shop in Khammam. The DCA also raided the premises of a quack, K Swarupa, at Gachibowli, Serilingampally mandal in Rangareddy district, who was practicing medicine without proper qualification at her clinic, ‘Swarupa First Aid Centre.’

The officials detected 17 varieties of medicines, including antibiotics, analgesics, and others, stocked at the clinic during the raids. Stocks worth Rs 8,000 were seized during the raid.

The DCA advised that wholesalers and dealers who supply medicines to unqualified persons who are stocking and selling drugs without a drug license are also punishable under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. Stringent action shall be taken against such wholesalers and dealers.

The DCA, Telangana, issues drug licenses for the stocking and selling of medicines in accordance with the provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. Stocking drugs for sale without a drug license is punishable under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, with imprisonment for up to five years.

Surprise checks are intensified on such unqualified persons who are engaged in stocking and selling drugs without any drug license. Stringent action will be taken as per the law against violators, stated DCA.