HYDERABAD, FEBRUARY 14, 2024: Official of Telangana Drugs Control Administration have seized Itraven-200 (Itraconazole Capsules 200 mg) at Madhira, Khammam, wherein MRP indicated is very high compared to the Ceiling Price fixed for the product by the Central Government.
Similarly, they had also two clinics run by quacks at Dundigal Village, Gandimaisamma Mandal and seized drugs of total worth Rs. 75,000/- stocked for sale.
DCA Director-General VB Kamalasan Reddy stated that the product Itraconazole Capsules 200 mg sold under brand name ‘Itraven-200’ 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 Itraven-200 (Itraconazole Capsules 200 mg) of B. No: C-23276, Mfg. Dt. 10/2023 Exp. Dt. 9/2025 Manufactured by: M/s Sunlife Sciences, 130, Kurdi, Jhabrera Road, Manglour, Roorkee, Dist: Haridwar, Uttarakhand. Marketed by: M/s Ventiz Healthcare, Porwal House, 314, Patparganj Indl. Area, New Delhi-92, bears MRP as Rs. 390 for 10 capsules on the label of the product (i.e. Rs. 39 for one capsule) which is a violation of Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013.
The Ceiling price fixed by the Central Government 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. 14.22 for one capsule (i.e. 54.4% excess), which is a violation of Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013. Stocks worth Rs.5,460 were seized during the raid conducted by G. Prasad, Assistant Director, Khammam and K Devender Reddy, Drugs Inspector, Khammam Rural are among the officers who carried out the raid.
Similarly, the DCA officials carried out raids on premises of quacks T Ravindra who is running Vaishnavi First Aid Centre and V. Vasudev who is running Bhavani First Aid Centre at Dundigal Village, Gandimaisamma Mandal, Medchal-Malkajgiri District. T. Ravindra and V. Vasudev are claiming themselves as ‘Rural Medical Practitioners’ and practising medicine without qualification at their clinics.
During the raids carried out at the said two premises, the DCA officials detected huge stocks of medicines found stocked without any drug licence. 82 varieties of medicines including antibiotics, analgesics, anti-ulcer drugs, antihypertensive etc. are found stocked at the two premises. DCA officials seized the stocks of total worth Rs. 75,000/- during the raids.
DCA officials detected several higher generation ‘antibiotic injections’ at the clinic during the raid. Indiscriminate sale of antibiotics, by an unqualified person may have disastrous consequences on the health of public, including emergence of ‘Antimicrobial Resistance’. G. Sreenivas, Assistant Director, Medchal, M. Hemalatha, Drugs Inspector, Gandimaisamma and M. Sreebindu, Drugs Inspector, Bachupally and N. Sahaja, Drugs Inspector, Kukatpally are among the officers who carried out the raids.
