Fake medicines containing chalk powder and starch seized by TSDCA

On being alerted, the TSDCA drug inspectors recently procured ‘medicines’ that were being retailed by the non-existent company at various medical shops.

Hyderabad: Medicines manufactured by a fictitious company that goes by the name of Meg lifesciences, Khasara, Palli Gaon, Sirmour district in Himachal Pradesh, have just chalk powder and starch but no active medicinal ingredients, the Telangana State Drug Control Administration (TSDCA) said on Tuesday while urging people not to procure and consume these ‘medicines’.

On being alerted, the TSDCA drug inspectors recently procured ‘medicines’ that were being retailed by the non-existent company at various medical shops. It turned out that the purported drugs retailed by this company did not have any medicinal value (nil medicine) and much to their shock, contained a combination of chalk powder and starch, which poses a threat to general public.

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“It is clear that these drugs are falsified medicines that are manufactured by anti-social elements. They do not contain any active medicinal ingredient (nil medicine) and they potentially can cause health risks to vulnerable patients,” DG, TSDCA, V B Kamalasan Reddy said.

The TSDCA has also issued notices to retailers and wholesalers to stop the sale and distribution of any drugs with the label of Meg Lifesciences and alert the local drug inspectors in case they have stocks of these.

Taking stringent measures to curb the menace of spurious drugs, DCA has seized stocks claimed to be manufactured by Meg Lifesciences worth Rs. 33.35 lakhs during recent raids. Cases have been registered against several offenders involved in this spurious drugs racket, the release said.

The TSDCA has urged the public to remain vigilant and report any information regarding the distribution or sale of drugs from purported manufacturer Meg Lifesciences. Such issues can be reported to the nearest DCA office or to the local drugs inspector or Assistant Director, Drug Control Administration.

The details of the contact number and address of the office are available on the Drugs Control Administration, Telangana website https://dca.telangana.gov.in/ or call toll-Free Number 1800-599-6969, which is operational from 10.30 am to 5 pm on all working days.