Of late, Odisha has slowly emerged as hub of fake medicines. It has become a safe haven for traders who buy drugs from dubious firms instead of actual drugs manufacturing companies just to earn easy bucks.
Seizure of duplicate Clavam 625 capsules in Bhubaneswar and Jharsuguda after the major crackdown on the racket circulating spurious blood pressure medicine 'Telma 40' in Cuttack has raised grave concerns over the alleged rampant circulation and sale of such fake drugs in the state.
Meanwhile, the Drugs Controller of Odisha has sent 700 drug samples for testing.
As obvious, it has become a matter of serious concern for the state government. Common people too are in dilemma as to how to distinguish between genuine drugs and fake drugs.
Let’s Know How Fake Medicine Racket Functions...
Common people must have questions how such medicines get into Odisha market. Drugs Controller, meanwhile, has brought truth to the fore.
Traders involved in the spurious racket revealed that medicine distributors buy medicines directly from the drugs manufacturing companies and supply them to stockists and retailers. This means the whole racket is being run by distributors, stockists and retailers. They share a good percentage of total profit gained from the illegal practice business.
Besides, some businessmen hire third parties to get medicines from dubious companies to earn fast buck instead buying medicines directly.
Drug Controller, has, meanwhile, warned such agencies to refrain from such practice.
According to sources the antibiotic Clavam 625 with batch number 22441088 is fake. The said medicine is being supplied from Himachal Pradesh. Police have arrested a person from in this connection. Police interrogation can extract more information from the accused.
Concerned over the issue seriously, the state government has taken action against 12 distributors. Several persons have been arrested in this connection.
Also Read | Cuttack Fake Medicine Case: PIL filed in Orissa HC demanding CBI probe
How Common People Distinguish Between Real and Fake Medicines...
Though both real and fake medicines look same, a person has to take care of these things while buying medicines from drugstores.
Take the case of Clavam 625. Brand, print and colour of fake Clavam 625 are completely same like the real medicine. But if you will check the bar code, it will mismatch. It will keep changing every time you scan it. Thus, checking bar code is a must for a person while buying medicines to know it is a genuine or fake one.
Let’s Hear from Drugs Controller...
Drugs Controller of Odisha Subodh Nayak said, “Be it wholesalers, stockists or retailers, their margin is fixed by the company. If they will be profit oriented and will get into illegal practices, everyone will suffer.”
What Health Minister says...
Meanwhile, Health Minister Naba Das said “Blackmarketing of medicines cannot be tolerated and stringent action will be taken against those who will found blackmarketing drugs.
Reported by Harihar Chand, Soumya Ranjan Sahu