2 quacks running clinics, hoarding medicines illegally in Narsingi, Khila Warangal held

Hyderabad: In a crackdown against quackery in Telangana, in two separate raids, two fake doctors were arrested by the Drugs Control Administration (DCA), Telangana, for allegedly cheating patients by practising medicine without qualification at Narsingi of Rangareddy district and Khila Warangal village of Warangal District on Tuesday.

Seizure at Narsingi

On credible information, the DCA officials of Serilingampally Zone, on Tuesday, raided the premises of Rahul Kumar Sharma in Narsingi. Rahul Kumar called himself a ‘private medical practitioner’ at his clinic Anvish Clinic. But the police found no medical qualifications under his name.

During the raid, the DCA officials detected huge stocks of medicines on the premises without any drug licence.

“Around 27 varieties of drugs including antibiotics, anti-ulcer drugs, pain killer drugs, antitussive drugs, multivitamins etc were found. The total stock worth Rs 5 lakhs was seized during the raid,” said DCA director-general VB Kamalasan Reddy.

Seizure at Khila Warangal

On credible information, the officials raided the premises of a T Rajender who was practising medicine without qualification at his first-aid clinic at Khila Warangal, claiming to be a Rural Medical Practitioner (RMP).

During the raid, the DCA officials detected huge stocks of medicines stocked at the premises for sale without any drug licence.

“We have found around 40 varieties of medicines stocked at the premises. Out of 40 varieties, seven drugs are ‘Physician Samples’ and the total stock worth Rs 80,000 was seized during the raid,” Kamalasan Reddy said.

Samples collected for analysis

The director general also said that officials detected several ‘antibiotic medicines’ at the clinics during the raids.

Indiscriminate sale of antibiotics by an unqualified person may have disastrous consequences on the health of the public, including the emergence of antimicrobial resistance.

“We have collected the samples for analysis. Further investigation shall be carried out and action shall be taken as per the law against all the offenders. The department has been constantly on the vigil and alert to detect unlicensed stocking and sale of medicines by quacks,” Kamalasan Reddy said.

Stocking drugs without a drug licence is punishable

Reddy also said that physician’s samples are manufactured by pharmaceutical companies for distribution to doctors for supply to his own patients as a free sample and are not to be sold.

“Stocking of drugs, physician’s samples without a drug licence is punishable under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act with imprisonment up to five years. Surprise checks are intensified on such unqualified persons who are carrying out stocking and sale of drugs without any drug licence,” Reddy said and added that stringent action shall be taken as per the law against violators.