HYDERABAD, MAY 12, 2025: Spurious or counterfeit drugs are falsified medicines manufactured by anti-social elements, concealing the true identity of the product and made to resemble another drug of a reputed company, especially a popular brand, with the intent to deceive the public and cash in on the popularity of the original product.
Spurious drugs may even bear the details of a manufacturer who does not exist, i.e., a fictitious company. Spurious drugs may contain no active ingredient (commonly referred to as ‘nil’ medicine, often consisting of substances such as chalk, corn starch, or potato starch), or the wrong active ingredient (for example, Amoxycillin Capsules may contain Paracetamol instead of Amoxycillin), or an incorrect amount of the correct active ingredient (for instance, Amoxycillin Capsules 500 mg may contain only 50 mg of Amoxycillin).
Some spurious drugs have also been found to be toxic, containing either fatal levels of the wrong active ingredient or other harmful chemicals. Spurious drugs place the patient’s health at grave risk. These drugs not only fail to cure the disease but, over time, result in disastrous consequences for the patients. They also lead to a loss of confidence in medicines, healthcare providers, and the overall health system. Spurious drugs, by their very nature, are difficult to detect as they are often deliberately designed to closely resemble genuine products, sometimes appearing almost visually identical.
batches. While no spurious drugs were detected during the inspections, other violations of the Drugs Rules, 1945, were found in 17 shops. Show Cause Notices were issued to these firms, and departmental action will follow as per regulatory provisions. The Drugs Control Administration conducted a Special Drive on 12th May 2025, specifically focusing on the QR Code verification of 300 Page 9 of 17 formulation brands in the market that are susceptible to counterfeiting. A total of 296 shops were inspected on the same day to detect for counterfeit/spurious batches of these formulations. Six suspected counterfeit batches were detected during the special drive conducted on 12th May, 2025, and the stocks were frozen. Further investigation will be conducted, and action will be taken against all offenders as per the provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. The Drugs Control Administration will continue to conduct surprise raids at sales outlets. These raids will mandatorily include QR code verifications and enhanced surveillance measures to strengthen vigilance against counterfeit drugs, thereby ensuring public health and safety. The general public is advised to verify the Bar Code / QR Code details on the labels of Schedule H2 formulation brands (300 brands listed in the Annexure) before purchasing from medical shops or pharmacies. Let us join hands in ensuring the availability of genuine and quality medicines. Date: 12-05-2025 SHAHNAWAZ QASIM, IPS DIRECTOR GENERAL Annexure Enclosed Page 10 of 17 Annexure: Schedule H2 – 300 Formulation Brands – QR Code Verification Page 11 of 17 Page 12 of 17 Page 13 of 17 Page 14 of 17 Page 15 of 17 Page 16 of 17 Page 17 of 17 *****
About the Author
