Karnataka Drugs Control department has seized stock of 50 drugs suspected to be spurious from an unlicensed drugs distributor in Bangalore. The drugs were supplied to seven chemist outlets in the state that were found to be dispensing them without an invoice.

A team of six drug inspectors led by H Srinivasa, assistant drugs controller, Bangalore Circle I seized 50 drugs. The Government Analyst, Drug Testing Laboratory which is testing the 50 samples has reported that Sporidex -500-(Cephalexin Capsules IP-500mg) belonging to batch No. 9121289 D/M June 2004, D/E February 2006, labelled to have been manufactured by Ranbaxy, New Delhi, was not of standard quality. The drug test report reveals that it contained only 10 per cent of the active ingredient.

Further investigations are on and the drugs department officials opined that the drugs seized are purported to be those manufactured by leading pharma majors including Glaxo SmithKline, Pfizer, Ranbaxy, Dr. Reddys Labs, Torrent, Cipla, IPCA, Zydus Cadila, Nicholas Piramal, apart from four Bangalore-based companies Micro Labs, Medreich, Anglo French and Novo Nordisk.

Enquiries revealed that the distributor Satish Sharma was a regular supplier to six pharmacy outlets in Bangalore and one at Dodaballapur. The drugs department handed over accused to the local jurisdictional police who arrested and produced him before Court where he feigned illness and was released on bail.

"We have informed wholesalers, retailers, doctors and medical centres across the state not to sell or stock Sporidex and the list of drugs which are seized. They should produce the stocks to the drugs control department for tests. The drugs department is also sending the investigating team to Goa, Gujarat and Mumbai to have a first hand information from manufacturers to ascertain whether the drugs were actually produced from their premises or are spurious drugs classified under Section 17 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, informed Ramakrishna Gandhi, drugs controller, Government of Karnataka.

The chemist outlets, which have been stocking the drugs, include Srinivas Pharma, Doddaballapur. The outlets in Bangalore are Manohar Pharma Distributors, Arihant Distributors, Deepak International, Meena Medico, Adinarayana Pharma and Ravi Pharmaceutical Associates.

Some of the drugs seized include Voveran SR, Zental Sylate, Ferrim, Cetzine and Nucornit from Emcure Pharma, Eption Tabs from Kare Labs, Dolonex DT, Dolonex DT- 20 mg from Pfizer, Alprax, Domstal, Clonate ointment, Clear Gel, KZ cream, Deplatt Tabs from Torrent Pharma, Sporidex caps 500 mg, Stenlip from Ranbaxy. Stemetil, Registrone from Nicholas Piramal, Methergin from Novartis, Gestin from Walter Bushnell, Unicontin 200 mg and 400 mg. from Modi Mundi Pharma, Perinorm from Ipca Labs, Methylcobal Tabs, Wokadin Ointment, from Wockhardt. Betnesol Tabs, Bedanzed Forte from Glaxo SmithKline, Norflox 400 mg, Ciplox 500 mg, Tocip, Oflox 400 mg, Alerid tabs from Cipla, Envas 5 mg from Dr. Reddys Labs, Azithrol 500 mg from Alembic, Beplex Forte from Anglo French, Nuril from USV, Ciprobid 250/500 mg from Zydus Cadila, Nimulid tabs from Panacea Biotech, Dibizidem tabs, Anxit, Hipril and Triglyd caps from Micro Labs, Human Mixtard from Novo Nordisk, Augmentine from Medreich Sterilab.