The Andhra Pradesh drug control administration (APDCA) has seized 58 varieties of spurious drugs worth Rs.5 lakhs from distributors across 3 districts in Andhra Pradesh.

According to Dr. Ravi Shankar, director general of APDCA, in a massive inspection drive conducted by the DCA authorities in the 3 districts of Ongole, Kurnool and Kadapa, it was found that an unlicensed firm Osheen Organics from Jaipur was manufacturing and distributing 58 varieties of drugs in the name of a fictitious company called Avya Health Care at Mandi in Himachal Pradesh.

“So far we have identified 58 varieties of spurious drugs being supplied through distributors in the 3 districts of AP. We have intensified our inspections in all the other remaining districts to identify the distributors supplying drugs purportedly manufactured by Avya Healthcare and have also alerted the pharmacies and other retailers to be aware of such fake and unlicensed suppliers,” informed the director general.

According to DCA investigations, the officials were shocked to know that there is no such company with the name called Avya Health care as mentioned of 11, Industrial Area, Rudrapur (village) in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh.

Without holding any license, Osheen Organics from Jaipur was manufacturing and distributing drugs consisting of tablets, capsules and syrups, which were sold to 12 states across the country. The four distributors from whom the spurious drugs were seized include Venkata Medical Corporation at Illendu in Ongole, MSB Medical & surgical Agencies and MNS Medical & Surgical Enterprises at Kallur from Kurnool. The fourth distributor is BA Allah’s Pharma from Kadapa district.

Among the 58 varieties of drugs the DCA authorities seized included antibiotics, pain killers, anti-emetics, anti-cough and cold, anti protozoal, iron and vitamin and anti-ulcers drugs from 4 distributors across the 3 districts in Andhra Pradesh.

All the seized drugs are being sent to the government drugs control laboratory at Vijaywada for analysis. “We have already intimated the court and doing further investigation. Cases have been booked against all those responsible firms under the provisions of Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Rules under 1945 dealing with spurious drugs,” said the DG.

In view of rising cases of spurious drugs, the APDCA has advised all the consumers to be aware of fake medicines and not to buy drugs labeled as manufactured by Avya Health care. Similarly the doctors are advised not to prescribe the drugs manufactured from this fictitious pharma company. Any suspicious activity relating to spurious drugs is found, the DCA has requested to contact the authorities through phone no 040-23814119 or send a mail to dgapadca@gmail.com.