DCA raids illegal medical shop, quack’s clinic in Falaknuma, Medak; seize drugs worth lakhs

Hyderabad: The Drugs Control Administration (DCA) of Telangana officials raided an illegally run medical shop in Jangammet, Falaknuma, where medicines were being sold without a drug license. Around 40 varieties of medicines worth Rs 1.20 lakhs were seized during the raid on the shop being run by a person named K Achutha Reddy.

The raid was conducted based on credible information of the illegal sale of medicines from a medical shop beside Shabana Clinic, Jangammet, Falaknuma, Hyderabad, on January 28 and 29.

During the raid, the DCA officers found an unauthorised stocking of a huge quantity of medicines for sale. Around 40 varieties of medicines including antibiotics, anti-diabetic drugs, anti-fungal drugs, anti-hypertensive drugs, painkillers, anti-ulcer drugs etc. were found stocked for sale at the premises.

DCA officers took samples for further analysis.

In a separate incident, the DCA officials raided the premises of a person named D Srinivas, who was running a clinic at Kothapet Village, Shivampet Mandal in Medak District without the required qualification, falsely claiming to be a rural medical practitioner. They found unauthorised stocking of a huge quantity of medicines for sale.

The DCA officials seized 41 varieties of medicines including antibiotics, steroids, analgesics, anti-ulcer drugs, antihypertensives etc. of total worth Rs 70,000 during the raid on Srinivasa Clinic that happened on January 27. They also found purchase bills and cash receipts regarding certain wholesale agencies of Narsapur in the Medak district.

The DCA officials found several higher-generation ‘antibiotics’ at the clinic during the raid. Indiscriminate sale of antibiotics by an unqualified person may have disastrous consequences on the health of the public in rural areas, including the emergence of antimicrobial resistance.

Public notice

Wholesalers/Dealers who supply medicines to unqualified persons/unlicensed shops stocking and selling drugs without a drug licence are also punishable under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act and stringent action shall be taken against such wholesalers/dealers. They shall mandatorily ensure that the recipient entities hold a valid drug licence before supplying medicines to them.

The Drugs Control Administration, Telangana, issues drug licences for the stocking and selling of medicines as per the provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. Stocking of drugs for sale without a drug licence is punishable under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act with imprisonment up to five years.