Drug inspectors seize drugs, materials worth ₹8 lakh in NTR dist.

Officials of the Drugs Control Administration in NTR district carried out inspections and special enforcement drives against unlicensed medical practice in Vijayawada and nearby areas on February 20 and 21, seizing drugs and related material worth ₹8 lakh.

As part of intensified action under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, Drug Inspectors K. V. Bhupesh, A. Krishna and others inspected M/s. Dicon Health Care in the city. During the inspection, they found that the licensee was allegedly altering the expiry dates of nine varieties of medicines using fabricated rubber stamps.

According to a DCA press release, 22 such rubber stamps were seized along with a half used bottle of thinner suspected to have been used to erase original label details, and a newspaper sheet bearing multiple impressions of altered batch numbers and expiry dates. Medicines worth about ₹4 lakh were also seized from the premises.

Under the supervision of Assistant Director, DCA, NTR district, P. Sriram Murthy, officials extended the drive to Jaggaiahpet and Penuganchiprolu. In separate inspections, drugs worth around ₹4 lakh were seized from three unlicensed establishments reportedly run by RMPs.

The DCA has cautioned the public against seeking treatment from unqualified practitioners, including RMPs, and advised patients to purchase medicines only from licensed medical shops. Consumers have been urged to verify the batch number, date of manufacture and expiry date before buying medicines and to report any suspected spurious or suspicious drugs to the DCA.