Zofer injection which is costing only Rs 13.35 is sold at Rs 150, Avil injection costing Rs 6.16 is sold at Rs 100, NS 100 ml normal saline bottle costing Rs 22.03 is sold at Rs 180
HYDERABAD, NOVEMBER 29, 2024: Officials of the Drugs Control Administration, Telangana, conducted a raid on Hyderabad Multispeciality Hospital located in Judges Colony, Malakpet, Hyderabad, and detected the sale of medicines to patients at exorbitant prices exceeding the prices indicated on the labels.
Sales bills of drugs sold at higher prices were seized, and a case was registered against the hospital under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, read with the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013.
In a statement here on Friday, DCA Director-General VB Kamalasan Reddy said that the Drugs Control Administration officials raided Hyderabad Multispeciality Hospital on Thursday and detected the sale of medicines at excessively high prices, exceeding the MRP printed on the labels of the medicines.
The medicines sold at exorbitant prices include Normal Saline Injections, Avil Injection (Pheniramine Maleate Injection), which is used to treat allergic conditions, Zofer Injection (Ondansetron Injection), which is used to treat and prevent nausea and vomiting, IV Sets, which are used to administer medications or fluids to a patient through the intravenous (IV) route, and Spafast-D Injection (Thiocolchicoside + Diclofenac Injection), which is used to relieve pain.
For instance, the Zofer injection which is costing only Rs 13.35 is sold at Rs 150, Avil injection costing Rs 6.16 is sold at Rs 100, NS 100 ml normal saline bottle costing Rs 22.03 is sold at Rs 180 and similarly other medicines as per the sale bill of the Hyderabad multispeciality hospital
During the raid, DCA officials seized sales bills for drugs sold at exorbitant prices at the pharmacy located within the hospital. D. Saritha, Assistant Director, Secunderabad, G. Anil, Drugs Inspector, Malakpet, B. Govind Singh, Drugs Inspector, Secunderabad are among the officers who carried out the raid. Further investigation will be carried out, and action will be taken as per the law against all the offenders.
According to the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013, no person shall sell any medicine to a consumer at a price exceeding the price indicated on the label of the medicine pack. Contravention of this rule is punishable under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, read with the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013, with imprisonment and a fine.
The public may report any suspected manufacturing activity related to drugs, including narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, in residential, commercial, or industrial areas, as well as any other complaints regarding illegal activities concerning medicines, through the Drugs Control Administration, Telangana Toll-Free Number 1800-599-6969, which is operational from 10:30 am to 5:00 pm on all working days.
