An inspection team from Kerala Drugs Control Department with drug inspectors and intelligence wing officials seized bundles of an Ayurvedic drug, Musli Power Xtra, worth over Rs 27 lakh from Kunnath Pharmaceuticals' factory in Moovattupuzha citing violation of the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act 1954. Simultaneous inspections were held in their godown in Thodupuzha and in the head office in Kochi.
A case was registered against the drug company and the confiscated items were produced before the First Class Magistrate Court in Moovattupuzha. The case was initiated because the company has put on label the indication ‘aphrodisiac’ which is in violation of DMRA Act.
This is the second time Kerala DC is taking action against the company for the violation of the Drug rules. In October last, the department had registered a case against the company for change of ingredient in the product which was gross violation of the section 33 EE A (d) of Drugs & Cosmetics Act. The charge at that time was that the company has used Safed Musli in place of Nilappana.
Last Friday, the surprise raids were conducted by the regulators and the intelligence wing of the department under the leadership of the drugs controller, M P George.
The Drug Controller said the enforcement officials have been getting complaints from across the country about the pharma company which was producing and marketing the Ayurvedic formulation, Musli Power Xtra, claiming that it would treat infertility problems in both men and women.
He said, as part of the crack down on violations of drugs act in the state, the department had meticulously planned to conduct simultaneous raids in three places of the company in Idukki and Eranakulam districts to initiate stringent action against the violation. But the operation could not succeed as planned because of disclosure of official secret, he said.
“Even before the investigation teams could reach the sites, the company people some how got wind of our move and they immediately shifted most of the parcels to safer places and put some bottles in place,” the drugs controller said. He added that his plan was to confiscate all the products following continuous complaints and seal the premises.
To a question whether the Ayurvedic department officials were aware of his move, he said most of the complaints received were about mixing up of allopathic ingredients in the medicine and the presence of allopathic drugs controllers are also required while collecting samples. So he sent a team of drug inspectors from both the divisions to all the three places for the raids. In Kerala both Allopathy and Ayurveda divisions comes under one drug controller.
To another question, whether any action will be taken against the print and electronic media which have been releasing extensive advertisements for the product, the drugs controller did not answer. But he recalled his action against eleven newspapers in Kerala some years ago for violation of D&C Act, and the consequences he experienced during that period.