Fake medicines: Cuttack Druggists’ Association Cancels Membership Of Two Distributors

Cuttack: Two dugs distributors' memberships in the Cuttack District Chemist and Druggist Association have been revoked for allegedly giving stores in Odisha counterfeit versions of the blood pressure medication Telma 40.

The distributors VR Drug Agency and Puja Enterprises had their memberships revoked by the Association after they expressed serious concerns about the supply of fake medications. The Association has also offered the Directorate of Drugs Control, Odisha, its full cooperation in its investigation of the case and sought harsh punishment for anybody involved in engaging in illicit activity.

Drug Inspector Tusha Ranjan Panigrahi reported the two Jaunliapati drug traffickers to the police on Saturday for allegedly distributing identical medications at Purighat police station in Cuttack. According to the FIR, the distributors obtained the fake medications from Bengaluru and Gaya and distributed them to more than 100 stores.

After reputable pharmaceutical business Glenmark clarified that the particular batch of the two medications seized during the raids was not created by the company, Panigrahi took the action. The Directorate had earlier requested the company to list the components of both medicines in detail and supplied it the batch number and other information regarding the drugs.

Under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act of 1985, the Drug Inspector has filed a complaint against the two drug distributors. In this context, a case has also been brought before the SDJM Court in Cuttack.

Drugs controller Subodh Kumar Nayak was quoted by the Times of India as saying, "The preliminary investigation found that the two distributors purchased the counterfeit medications for roughly Rs 50 lakh from a firm in Gaya."

It should be noted that on Thursday, under the jurisdiction of the Purighat police in Cuttack, a team from the Directorate of Drug Control conducted searches at many places for allegedly distributing counterfeit medications. The following day, numerous teams from the Directorate conducted raids at various drug stores in Bhubaneswar.

The team conducted searches at 12 locations, including Manikaghosh Bazaar, Badambadi, Banka Bazaar, and Mangalabag, after obtaining information that stockists in these locations were selling bogus medications for high blood pressure and heart conditions.

They recalled and confiscated two counterfeit medication brands' products, totaling Rs. 30 lakh. The remaining medications, valued at Rs 20 lakh, are unclear, they claimed. Dharmadev Puhan, an assistant narcotics controller in Cuttack, stated that while some of the consignment was sold in other states, some of it was also sold in Odisha.