DCA seizes banned soaps in Karimnagar; medical shop found selling illegal drugs combo

Hyderabad: The Drugs Control Administration (DCA) of Telangana seized stocks of a banned medicated soap containing a prohibited drug combination from a medical shop in Karimnagar. The seizure was made during a raid at PLN Pharma Distributors, based on intelligence about the circulation of banned drugs.

Banned drug detected in market

The seized product, branded as Dr Ethix’s MediSkin Medicated Skin Care Soap, contains a fixed-dose combination of Permethrin IP 1.0%, Cetrimide IP 0.5%, and Menthol IP 1.0%. This specific combination was banned by the Government of India on September 7, 2018, due to the lack of therapeutic justification, making its manufacture, sale, and distribution for human use illegal.

The banned soap was found to be illegally manufactured by Maxwell Pharma, located at Industrial Plot No. 6 & 7, Sector 5, Parwanoo, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, and was being produced for Dr. Ethix’s Products and Services Pvt. Ltd., Guindy, Chennai.

Enforcement and Seizure

The raid was conducted by M Srinivasulu, Assistant Director, and P Karthik Bharadwaj, Drugs Inspector, Karimnagar, from the DCA’s Karimnagar zone. Upon inspection, the team found stocks of the banned soap being circulated and promptly seized them.

A statement from the Drugs Control Administration emphasised the seriousness of the offence: “The manufacturing and sale of prohibited drugs is a grave offence. To combat this issue, surprise checks are being intensified to detect the circulation of banned drugs in the market. Stringent action will be taken as per the law against violators.”

Legal action to follow

Further investigation is currently underway. The DCA has confirmed that legal action will be taken against all parties involved in the manufacture, distribution, and sale of the banned product.

The public has been urged to report any suspicious drug manufacturing activity or illegal sale of drugs, including narcotics and psychotropic substances. Complaints can be made via the DCA Telangana Toll-Free Number: 1800-599-6969, operational from 10:30 am to 5:00 pm on all working days.

Potential risks to public health

The drug combination of Permethrin, Cetrimide, and Menthol was among several fixed-dose combinations that were banned by the central government in 2018, citing inadequate therapeutic rationale and potential risks to public health.