Hyderabad: In March, the Drugs Control Administration (DCA) of Telangana carried out 65 seizures related to various offences involving medicines. During raids, the DCA seized stocks worth Rs 3.03 lakh and detected several substandard drugs circulating across Telangana.
Busting counterfeit drug racket
In one of the operations, the DCA successfully busted a drug racket involving counterfeit versions of ‘Montek-LC’ tablets falsely claimed to be manufactured by Sun Pharma Laboratories. The raid, conducted on March 18 at Sri Nirmala Pharma in Secunderabad, led to the seizure of the spurious batch of ‘Montek-LC’ tablets, which were misrepresented with the manufacturer’s name and expired batch details.
Apart from counterfeit drugs, the DCA also targeted misleading advertisements of medicines that violated the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954. In several raids, 50 medicines making unsubstantiated claims to treat serious health conditions such as diabetes, tuberculosis, blood pressure, and even cancer were seized. These advertisements were found to mislead the public by making false and harmful health claims.
Such illegal advertising practices violate regulatory standards and can misguide patients into using ineffective or unsafe drugs.
During a raid on March 5 at Sri Nandini Pharma in Sultan Bazar, Hyderabad, the DCA discovered stocks of Tetanus vaccines and Oxytocin injections being stored at room temperature. These injections, which are required to be stored in a refrigerator at temperatures between 2 degrees celsius to 8 degrees celsius, were found to be stored improperly on regular shelves alongside other general medicines.
Such improper storage can lead to a loss of the potency of these life-saving drugs, rendering them ineffective and potentially dangerous for patients.
Seizure of falsely manufactured nutraceuticals
In a recent crackdown, DCA seized two drugs that were falsely manufactured and sold as nutraceuticals during raids conducted in Telangana. On March 6, authorities seized Medos-AT Capsules, which contained Methylcobalamin, Alpha Lipoic Acid, Folic Acid, Vitamin B1, and B6, in Ramagundam, Peddapalli District. The product was found to be marketed under the brand name Yash Nutraceuticals from Ahmedabad, Gujarat, and RhonPoule Life Science from Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
Similarly, on March 26, a raid in Kushaiguda, Medchal-Malkajgiri district, led to the seizure of Calgro-D3 Tablets, which contained Calcium and Vitamin D3. These tablets were manufactured by Twins Pharma, based in Medchal-Malkajgiri District, and marketed by Arcade Lifesciences. Both products were falsely marketed as nutraceuticals despite being classified as ‘drugs’ under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.
DCA Telangana raids unlicensed medical shops, Rs 1.23L worth items seized
Additionally, the DCA took strict action against unlicensed medical shops and clinics operating without the proper drug licenses. Two such establishments were raided in March, where medicines worth Rs. 1.23 lakh were seized.
The unlicensed dealers had been illegally stocking and selling drugs, a practice punishable under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, with penalties including imprisonment for up to five years.
In other DCA raids, unauthorized practitioners, or quacks, running medical clinics without the required qualifications were apprehended. These individuals were found practicing medicine illegally and stocking a wide range of drugs, including powerful antibiotics and steroids.
The DCA conducted multiple raids across the state, including in rural districts like Nizamabad and Medak, where large quantities of antibiotics such as Cefixime, Amoxycillin, and Ofloxacin were found in clinics run by quacks. The indiscriminate sale of antibiotics, especially by unqualified practitioners, poses serious health risks, including the development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Steroids like Dexamethasone and Betamethasone were also discovered, with the potential to cause severe side effects such as immune suppression and hormonal imbalances if misused.
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