Delhi Police have arrested four individuals involved in an interstate racket manufacturing and distributing counterfeit prescription drugs, uncovering an illegal processing unit in Delhi.
The central drugs laboratories found 42 drug samples manufactured by various firms to be "not of standard quality (NSQ)" in its monthly drug alert for April, Union health ministry officials said on Thursday. Further, the state drug testing laboratories have identified 127 drug samples as NSQ, they said.
The Central Drugs Laboratories identified 60 drug samples as 'not of standard quality' in February, while state labs found 134 substandard samples. Investigations are underway for spurious drugs manufactured by unauthorised companies.
Spurious drugs in large quantities from China are finding their way into India setting off alarm bells in the government which has decided to crackdown on importers who were using forged documents and other means to sneak them in.
The initiative will include special training for Customs and drug regulatory officials to identify spurious drugs, their origin, distribution chain and follow-up action to raid premises and book culprits, in coordination with regulatory and police officials of various countries.
At least 13 people have died in Pune after consuming suspected spurious liquor, leading to multiple arrests and a high-level investigation.
Following the deaths of 15-18 people in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad due to spurious liquor, the Maharashtra government has suspended 22 police and excise department personnel for failing to act against the illegal liquor trade. Financial assistance has been announced for the victims' families, and a statewide crackdown on illicit liquor is underway.
An independent think tank on policing has called for a multi-agency investigation into the recent unearthing of a spurious Mounjaro (tirzepatide) injection manufacturing racket in Gurugram, offering free-of-cost forensic expertise.
At least 14 people have died in Pune after consuming suspected spurious liquor. Police have arrested eight individuals, including a key bootlegger, and the investigation has been transferred to the CID. The incident has sparked outrage and raised concerns about the illegal liquor trade.
The number of people who died after taking spurious drugs supplied by a state-run hospital in Pakistan's Punjab province has touched 100 even as scores more continue to be treated in hospitals across the province, officials said on Thursday.
The World Health Organization has requested information from the Indian government regarding the alleged supply of spurious oxytocin injections linked to the deaths of five women in Kota hospitals. This comes after regulatory action, including the cancellation of manufacturing licenses for Jackson Laboratories units, following joint inspections by drug control bodies. The government is investigating the matter, emphasising a zero-tolerance approach to quality violations.
Delhi Police have dismantled an organised interstate racket involved in manufacturing and distributing counterfeit life-saving medicines, arresting six individuals and seizing fake drugs worth approximately Rs 2 crore. The investigation also revealed a network of fake GST firms used for generating bogus invoices and laundering money.
Maharashtra FDA seizes 5,929 kg of toxic methanol from a warehouse in Thane district, allegedly linked to spurious liquor that caused 14 deaths in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad.
In a major crackdown against the manufacture of substandard drugs, central and state regulators conducted joint inspections at 76 pharma companies and cancelled the licences of 18 of them for producing spurious and adulterated drugs, official sources said on Tuesday.
The Maharashtra FDA seized 5,929 kg of toxic methanol from a warehouse in Thane district, suspected to be the source of the chemical used in spurious liquor that caused 14 deaths in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad.
At least 12 people have died in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad after consuming suspected spurious liquor. Police have arrested eight individuals, including a key bootlegger, and investigations are ongoing to uncover the full extent of the illegal operation.
Police and FSDA officials in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, seized approximately 16 quintals of fake paneer allegedly made using detergent powder and other harmful chemicals. A manufacturing unit was sealed, and three individuals were booked in connection with the case as part of a state-wide crackdown on spurious milk products.
A 56-year-old man from Delhi has been arrested for allegedly manufacturing and selling counterfeit weight loss powder and spurious Ayurvedic products online using duplicate branding.
'Anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, and other drugs suspected to be spurious were seized from the raid carried out at the firm.'
A new law is being proposed to grant statutory powers to the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation to regulate the manufacture, distribution, and sale of drugs, medical devices, and cosmetics.
Rise in raids on illicit drug manufacturing units, alongside arrests for the production, sale, or distribution of spurious or adulterated drugs.
Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar said 642 prosecutions were launched for manufacturing, sale and distribution of spurious/adulterated drugs, while 262 persons were arrested.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has defended a doctor arrested in connection with cough syrup deaths in Madhya Pradesh, attributing the incident to failures in the drugs regulatory system.
Among the commonly used analgesic formulations (painkillers) found NSQ are combinations of paracetamol with ibuprofen, diclofenac and mefenamic acid. Medications using these combinations are commonly used to treat fever, mild migraine, period and muscle pain.
The Jammu and Kashmir government on Tuesday decided to upgrade the drug testing laboratories in the twin capitals of Srinagar and Jammu following an outcry on supply of spurious drugs in the state run hospitals in Kashmir.
Indian pharmaceutical companies are stepping up their efforts to combat the problem of counterfeit drugs, employing a variety of strategies, from packaging innovations to engaging private investigation agencies. The stakes are high, as counterfeit medicines not only harm consumers but also tarnish the reputation of leading brands.
Price control of drugs in India is making it difficult for companies to fight against spurious medicines as they are unable to set off the resultant increase in cost, Nicolas Piramal director Swati Piramal said on Tuesday.
The government is considering the formation of an autonomous drug control authority, Rajya Sabha was informed on Friday.
It was also found at many places that spurious medicines, particularly Ayurvedic medicines, are being manufactured without licence from the competent authority.
With an eye on improving quality assurance in the wake of increased global scrutiny on Indian pharma products, the Centre on Tuesday said that Schedule M of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 will be made compulsory for small and medium scale manufacturers in a phased manner. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has asked micro-small and medium enterprises in pharma manufacturing to move towards good manufacturing practices (GMP) through self regulation. "This will help in quality assurance and also reduce compliance burden," Mandaviya.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman criticizes the DMK government in Tamil Nadu, alleging corruption, caste-based crimes, and a rise in drug abuse. She dismisses the DMK's claims about language and Dravidian identity as a distraction from their governance failures.
Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers Ram Vilas Paswan said on Monday that his ministry would cut the prices of life saving and other important drugs by bringing more drugs under the 'price monitoring system' and also check the manufacture and
The joint inspections is to ensure the safety, efficacy, and quality of drugs available in the country
Ranbaxy whistleblower Dinesh Thakur tells Aziz Haniffa that a formal Congress hearing on spurious drugs from India is being sought.
Police said they have made five arrests in the incident. Those arrested have been identified as Prabhjit Singh, the main accused, Kulbir Singh, Sahib Singh, Gurjant Singh and Ninder Kaur, they said.
Singh's suspension came days after he questioned the manner in which a vigilance bureau team raided the residence of Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia in Amritsar in a disproportionate assets case.
The Bombay high court on Thursday directed the Maharashtra government to investigate how celebrities and politicians procured anti-COVID-19 drugs and injections to help those in need when the same were available only in scarce quantities across the country.
The top 300 pharmaceutical brands in the country will now bear a quick response (QR) code on their packaging to rein in spurious drugs and ensure better traceability.
'If somebody wants to finish the country and more particularly from the border state, they will start with the borders. Every extra caution should be taken to save the country. Tell your government to be very serious. They have to take every effort to save the country, it is very easy to ruin the youth'
