HYDERABAD, APRIL 27, 2024: Officials of Telangana Drugs Control Administration have continued their drive against the overpriced medicines, misleading advertisements and quacks in various parts of Telangana state on Friday and Saturday.
In a press note here on Saturday, DCA Director-General VB Kamalasan Reddy said that officials of Karimnagar Zone detected the drug Supralax Syrup (Sodium Picosulfate Oral Solution BP) and found that the firm had increased the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) of the drug by more than 10% of the MRP during the preceding 12 months, thus violating the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013. The product ‘Sodium Picosulfate Oral Solution BP’ sold under the brand name ‘Supralax Syrup’ is a non-scheduled formulation as per the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013. According to the order, no manufacturer should increase the maximum retail price of the drug more than ten percent of maximum retail price during preceding twelve months.
The Drugs Control Administration officials seized two overpriced medicines: Bact-Q Ointment 5gm (Mupirocin Ointment IP 2% w/w) and MUPIHEAL Ointment 5gm (Mupirocin Ointment IP 2% w/w) during the raids. The product Mupirocin Ointment 2% w/w sold under brand names Bact-Q 5gm and MUPIHEAL 5gm is under price control as per the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013 and the price of the product shall be in accordance with the ‘Ceiling Price’ fixed by National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), Government of India.
Drugs Control Administration, Telangana officials, detected certain medicines circulating in the market with misleading claims on their labels, stating that they treat ‘Rheumatism’ (inflammation, stiffness, and pain in the joints or muscles), ‘Fever’ and ‘Piles’.
The product PileBan Cream, (Beclomethasone Dipropionate, Phenylephrine HCl and Lignocaine HCl Cream), is a ‘drug’ and the claim regarding ‘Piles’ is prohibited for a ‘drug’ according to ‘Schedule J’ of the Drugs Rules.
During the special drive conducted on 26th & 27th April to detect medicines moving in the market with misleading and objectionable advertisements, the following products were detected by DCA officials:
On credible information, Drugs Control Administration officials, raided the premises of a quack Gangadhari Ramesh, at Mulkalapally Village, Dornakal Mandal, Mahabubabad District, who was claiming himself as a ‘Rural Medical Practitioner’ and practicing medicine without proper qualification at his clinic ‘Raghu Rama First Aid Centre’.
During the raid, DCA officials detected huge stocks of medicines found stocked at the premises without any drug license. Around 22 varieties of medicines, including Physician’s Samples and Expired Drugs, etc., were found stocked at the premises. DCA officials seized the stock, worth a total of Rs. 21,000 during the raid.
DCA officials detected several ‘antibiotics’ at the clinic during the raid. Indiscriminate sale of antibiotics, by unqualified persons may have disastrous consequences on the health of rural public, including emergence of ‘Antimicrobial Resistance’.
Officials found ‘steroids’ at the clinic of quack. Misusing steroids can have serious health consequences, including immune system suppression, hormonal imbalances, muscle and bone weakness, cardiovascular problems, and psychological effects. The indiscriminate use of steroids poses significant risks to public health.
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