Fake doctors selling drugs busted by TS Medical Council

To operate a medical shop, it is mandatory to have a pharmacist and a license issued to them by TS Drug Control Administration (TSDCA) and the Pharmacy Council. However, without these permissions, fake doctors are operating medical shops, which are invariably attached to their clinics.

Hyderabad: In a disturbing development, the Telangana State Medical Council (TSMC) has identified fake doctors who are operating medical stores and engaging in unregulated sale of antibiotics, steroids and other Schedule H drugs that mandatorily require a prescription from a qualified MBBS doctor.

To operate a medical shop, it is mandatory to have a pharmacist and a license issued to them by TS Drug Control Administration (TSDCA) and the Pharmacy Council. However, without these permissions, fake doctors are operating medical shops, which are invariably attached to their clinics.

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The fake allopathy practitioners have also hit upon a novel way to legitimize their activities by claiming that they are only offering ‘limited’ allopathy medical services, when compared to a traditional allopathic health care facility. However, TSMC has clarified that ‘limited’ Allopathy medicine does not exist.

“There is no law that states that Allopathy medicine can be practiced within certain limits by setting up an Allopathy clinic/pharmacy under the name of a first aid-centre or a primary care centre, by unqualified individuals. Practicing limited allopathy in a first aid centre is equal to quackery. It is strange that such individuals are also operating medical shops without a pharmacist and selling medicines,” says vice-chairman, TSMC, Dr. Gundagani Srinivas.

The Medical Council has the power to register police complaints against such fake practitioners under Sections 34 and 54 of the National Medical Commission (NMC) Act. The NMC Act also has provisions for imprisonment of up to one-year and fine of up to Rs five lakh on such individuals, the Council vice-chairman said.

In the last 48-hours, the special teams established by TS Medical Council to conduct inspections on unlicensed and fake health care establishments have filed police cases on several individuals in Hyderabad.

At the old Alwal area, the fake practitioners who were detected by the Council include Ganesh, who was running Gayatri First Aid Centre, M Venu Kumar, who was operating Bhuvan First Aid Centre and Gouravi Clinics being operated by Saamantha.

At Malkajgiri area, Sri Sai Clinic was being operated by Santosh, Varasiddhi Vinayaka First Aid Centre, Moula Ali by Giriprasad Shyam and Shadan Clinic, Moula Ali by M D Saadiq, the Council said.