Hyderabad pharmacy found selling habit-forming tablets to teens

Hyderabad: Officials of the Telangana Standards Authority for Food and Essential Drugs (TG-SAFE), along with the EAGLE Force, conducted a joint raid on a medical shop at Gajularamaram in Medchal-Malkajgiri district on Thursday, September 4, and seized stocks of Tapentadol tablets.

The raid was conducted following information that the proprietor of Mana Pharmacy and General Store was allegedly selling the habit-forming drug Tapentadol to teenagers in the surrounding area.

Officials found that Tapentadol tablets were being sold without prescriptions and sales were being made without bills. Sales were also not being entered in the mandatory Schedule H1 drug register, in violation of the Drugs Rules, 1945.

Officials seized stocks of Tentadol-100 (Tapentadol 100 mg) along with purchase invoices, sales bill books and registers for further investigation.

Tapentadol drug

Tapentadol is an opioid analgesic prescribed for moderate to severe pain and is classified as a Schedule H1 drug. Its sale is permitted only against a valid prescription.

TG-SAFE said further investigation would be taken up and action would be initiated against those responsible in accordance with the law. It warned medical shops against the illegal diversion or indiscriminate sale of habit-forming and prescription medicines.