The Gujarat Food and Drug Control Administration (FDCA) recently seized spurious drug worth Rs 2.86 lakhs of Torrent Pharma’s leading brand Losar-H. The authorities are investigating the case and so far have suspended the license of three stockists from Ahmedabad who were involved in supplying the spurious medicine of Losar- H brand.
Losar-H tablet is a combination medicine used for the treatment of high blood pressure.
Dr Hemant Koshia, Commissioner, Gujarat FDCA informed, “We have seized worth of Rs 2.86 lakhs spurious drug of Torrent Pharma’s leading brand Losar-H. From three different stockists in Ahmedabad, we confiscated total 1639 strips and each strip contains 15 tablets (total tablet 24,585). We have sent the drugs samples for further testing and evaluation to our Baroda drug testing laboratories and anticipating the final study report in another two to three days.”
The authority has understood that originally the spurious medicine was routed through Bhagirath Palace, Delhi to Jaipur to Ahmedabad. And Priya Pharmaceuticals, Jaipur was supplying it to Sharda Medical agency, Mayur Medical Agency and Aaradhya Medical agency in Ahmedabad. The spurious drug was sold at 50 per cent of the market price of the original drug and likely that it is available in pan India.
Commenting on the legal action against the Priya Pharmaceuticals Jaipur, Koshia Said, “We have informed the drug controlling authority in Jaipur and they might refer it to the Rajasthan Drug Controller Department. However, we are also reviewing the case and if required our intervention or action from we are prepared for that as well.”
Besides this, the Gujarat FDCA is also taking strict action against the pharmacies who are involved in inappropriately selling medical abortion (MTP) kits and Codeine syrups. “We realised that there have been a misuse of MTP kits in the state. With the help of MTP kits, people are aborting the female foetus and to prevent the abuse of thsee kits we are driving special movement across the state. We have instructed all the pharmacy stores to sell the kit through authorised medical prescription only and if any illegal practice is found, we are cancelling their licenses immediately. Similar action is being taken for codeine syrups as well ”
The Gujarat Food and Drug Control Administration (FDCA) has also started a Price Monitoring and Research Unit (PMRU) at its headquarters in Gujarat.
Under the Central Assistance Scheme to upgrade the drug regulatory system in the state, it has been sanction Rs 42.56 crores. Out of the total sanctioned sum, the Central Government has released a grant of Rs. 13.55 crores and the State Government has allotted grant of Rs. 9.03 crores, out of which Rs 1 crore is for two wheelers (Total No. 100) and Rs. 1.17 crore for four wheelers (Total No.12). Laptops worth Rs. 1 crore (Total No. 90) have also been purchased.
To make the system more transparent with the help of good governance system and for ease of doing business, the Gujarat Government has allotted 90 laptops to the FDCA enforcement team. This move is expected to make the on-line process easier, faster, efficient and transparent. And the allocation of vehicles will further help the drug officers to reach the drug stores as well as the manufacturing units in a shorter period of time, speed up the investigation process and catch the wrongdoers quickly.
u.sharma@expressindia.com