Cuttack: Medicine stockists raided over alleged sale of fake drugs

A team of Drugs Control administration conducted raids on two medicine stockists in Manighosh Bazaar area under Purighat police limits of Cuttack on Thursday for allegedly selling duplicate medicines. Samples were collected and have been sent for laboratory tests. 

The samples of medicines collected were Telma 40 and Telma-AM. Both these medicines are prescribed to patients suffering from heart diseases and high blood pressure respectively. 

"We have collected the samples. Our main focus is to prevent the circulation of those drugs and our field officers are working on it. After testing the medicines, we will know if it is fake or not," informed Subodh Kumar Nayak, Drugs Controller.

Notably, there are some stockiests in Buxi Bazaar and Jaunliapati area who supply medicines to different places of the State. It has long been alleged that duplicate medicines are being sold with impunity in Cuttack city, which is known as the medical hub of the State.

Allegations were made with the drugs controller that duplicates of Telma 40 and Telma AM are being sold in Cuttack city. The duplicate medicines are coming from Bangalore. 

Acting on the allegations, a squad conducted the raids at the two stockists in Manighosh Bazaar, collected samples and sent them for laboratory test. The test reports will confirm whether the medicines are fake ones or not. 

At the same time, directions have also been issued to call back the medicines supplied from the said stockiests to the wholesalers and retailers in. 

It has been a matter of serious concern since both the drugs are widely used.

Moreover, concerns have been raised if the medicines available at the retail stores in the twin city are authentic or not. Even, people have expressed worries if syndicates are circulating fake drugs with the trade mark of expensive brands for other medicines as well.  

Ever since the reports of fake drugs circulated, it streamed panic among consumers. While consumers say, they just take a look at the expiry date of the drugs which in no way will help to identify the fake drugs, retail medicine store owners only check the stockist label and date before procuring.

"As customers, we have no scope of identifying fake or real medicines. After taking medicines, when we don't experience any improvement, we switch over to another medicine, said Dilip Sahoo, a customer. 

Meanwhile, another customer, Biswajit Pattnaik said, "We generally check the manufacturing and expiry date while purchasing a medicine. After checking the dates, we are convinced about the authenticity. This certainly has emerged as a major reason of concern for all."

"We verify the stockist label number and manufacturing date as specified in the bill while procuring the medicines. We basically have no role. Every retailer is doing the same thing," said Samir Das, a medicine retailer.  

However, health expert Dr Shami Salim said, "The entire responsibility is of administration. They need to keep a track of the fake medicine circulation and trace out the source. Patients and doctors have no role in this."

The Millennium City has meanwhile earned the notoriety of being a hub of duplicate products as duplicate sauce, liquor, cooking oil etc. factories have been busted at regular intervals.