HYDERABAD, MARCH 13, 2024: The Telangana Drugs Control Administration have continued their drive against medicines for misleading advertisements, overpriced medicines and unlicensed medical shops in various parts of Telangana state.
In a statement here on Wednesday, DCA Director-General VB Kamalasan Reddy said that the officials detected a medicine ‘Avexomol-s Infusion’ circulating in the market claim on its label that it treats fever, which is a contravention of the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable advertisements), Act 1954, in Shivrampally, Rajendranagar, Ranga Reddy district. No person shall take part in publication of advertisement regarding the diseases/disorders indicated under the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954.
Fever is indeed a symptom, typically indicating that the body is fighting off an infection or some other underlying condition. Medicines such as ‘Paracetamol’ can help to alleviate discomfort associated with fever, but they don’t directly address the underlying cause of the fever. Hence medicines, including Paracetamol, cannot claim that they treat ‘fevers’ in general, as they don’t cure the underlying condition responsible for the fever.
The advertisement of a medicine for the treatment of ‘fever’ in general is prohibited under the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954.
In another incident, the DCA officials seized ‘Etrazo-200 Capsules’ (Itraconazole Capsules 200 mg) in Bhupalapally, Jayashankar Bhupalpally District on Tuesday. The product Itraconazole Capsules 200 mg sold under brand name ‘Etrazo-200 Capsules’ is under price control as per Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013 and the price of product shall be in accordance with the ‘Ceiling Price’ fixed by National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), Government of India.
The product seized ‘Etrazo-200 Capsules’ bears MRP as Rs. 160 for 4 capsules on the label of the product (i.e. Rs. 40 for one capsule) which is a violation of Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013. The Ceiling price fixed by the Central Government including Wholesale Price Index (WPI) for the product “Itraconazole Capsules 200 mg” is Rs. 22.12 for one capsule (Ceiling Price). Hence Maximum Retail Price (MRP) i.e. including GST 12 % should not be more than Rs. 24.77 for one capsule (MRP=Ceiling Price+GST). The firm overpriced the product. Firm charged excess of Rs. 15.23 for one capsule.
Similarly, the Officials, on credible information regarding illegal sale of medicines, raided a medical shop without license by Mohammed Ilyas Ahmed located at Metpally Village, Metpally Mandal, Jagtial District on Tuesday. The DCA officers detected unauthorized stocking of huge quantity of medicines for sale. More than 75 varieties of medicines including antibiotics, anti-hypertensive drugs, analgesics, anti-ulcer drugs, cough syrups, antacids etc. are found stocked for sale at the premises. DCA officials seized the stock of total worth Rs. 60,000/- during the raid.
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