Telangana DCA Alerts Public on Spurious D-Calcium Pantothenate Drug Circulating in Markets

Hyderabad: The Drugs Control Administration (DCA) of Telangana has issued a public alert regarding the circulation of a spurious drug in the state. The drug, identified as D-Calcium Pantothenate is falsely claimed to be manufactured by Xinfa Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., a company based in Shandong Province, China.

Spurious Drug Identified

According to the DCA, the drug in question has been found to be counterfeit and was not manufactured by Xinfa Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. The counterfeit product, an Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API), lacks mandatory labeling details such as the importer’s name and import license number, both of which are required by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), New Delhi, for any product imported into India.

Non-Compliance with Labeling Standards

The DCA highlighted that the spurious drug does not comply with Indian regulations, as it lacks a Quick Response (QR) code on its label.

As per the Drugs Rules, all APIs manufactured or imported in India must bear a QR code containing essential information like the unique product identification code, name of the API, batch number, date of manufacturing, and import license number.

Health Risks and Directive to Stakeholders

The administration has warned that the counterfeit drug poses significant health risks to consumers and has urged all stakeholders, including manufacturers and dealers, to stop the utilization, sale, and distribution of the drug immediately.

Dr. V.B. Kamalasan Reddy, IPS, Director General of the DCA, stated, "We are actively working to ensure the removal of spurious drugs from the market. We urge all stakeholders to remain vigilant and report any information regarding the distribution or sale of this counterfeit drug."

Reporting Mechanism for Stakeholders

The DCA has provided clear instructions for stakeholders to report any instances of the spurious drug being sold or distributed.

Reports can be made to the DCA's toll-free number, 1800-599-6969, which operates from 10:30 am to 5:00 pm on all working days. Additionally, stakeholders can report to the nearest Drugs Control Administration office, with contact details available on the DCA's official website.

Instructions to State Officials

The notice has been circulated to all Drugs Inspectors in Telangana, with instructions to disseminate the information to manufacturers and wholesalers and to maintain vigilance over the movement of such drugs.