TSDCA uncovers mislabeling of ‘Vitency capsules’ as food product in Hyderabad

The product Vitency Capsules claims on the label that it contains vitamins in quantities falling within the therapeutic dose range.

Hyderabad: The drug inspectors of TS Drug Control Administration (TSDCA) raided premises of Bluten Pharmacy, Pet Basheerabad, Quthbullapur on Saturday and detected a product ‘Vitency Capsules’, which was falsely manufactured under food license (FSSAI License) and falsely claimed as a food product or a nutraceutical.

The capsules were found to be manufactured at Knox Life Sciences, Gullarwala village, Solan district, Himachal Pradesh and were being illegally marketed by Axenic Healthcare, Malakpet as a food product/nutraceutical.

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The product Vitency Capsules claims on the label that it contains vitamins in quantities falling within the therapeutic dose range. Therefore, according to Schedule-V of Drugs Rules, the product is considered a ‘drug’ used to treat vitamin deficiencies as per the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, TSDCA in a press release said.

The product ‘Vitency Capsules’ must be manufactured only under a ‘drug license’ issued under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, adhering strictly to the ‘Good Manufacturing Practices’ (GMP) outlined in Schedule-M of the Drugs Rules. Additionally, it must meet the quality standards prescribed in the ‘Schedule-V of Drugs Rules and the ‘Indian Pharmacopoeia’ (IP) as mandated.

During the raid at Bluten Pharmacy, DCA officers seized a total of 30 Vitency capsules (B.No PF-2743). Similar cases of ‘drugs’ being manufactured under a ‘food license’ were previously detected by the TSDCA Drugs in November 2023 and January 2024, which were declared as ‘spurious’ by the Drugs Control Laboratory, Hyderabad, as the content of the active ingredient was found to be ‘NIL’ (i.e., zero drug) in the said products.

The drugs that are falsely manufactured and sold under a food license are not produced in accordance with ‘Good Manufacturing Practices’ (GMPs) and often fail to meet the quality standards prescribed in the Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP). Such products pose serious risks to patients’ health and may have severe implications.

Manufacturing and selling drugs without a valid drug license is punishable under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, with imprisonment for up to five years, the DG, TSDCA, V B Kamalsan Reddy said.