The Gujarat Food and Drug Control Administration (FDCA) has issued strict warning to all the ayurvedic practitioners in the state, asking them to refrain from any activities that are in contravention of the provisions of the drugs and cosmetics (D&C) Act and Rules. The warning was issued in the wake of increasing incidence of ayurvedic doctors selling allopathic drugs to the unsuspicious patients as ayurvedic drugs by changing and renaming the labels and packing of the drugs as per their requirements.

As a follow-up on this, the state regulatory authority recently searched and seized drugs and other supplementary products worth Rs.11.5 lakh from two Surat-based ayurvedic skin care clinics owned by Dr Prakash Barvaliya for indulging in multiple offenses that are in violation of the D&C Act. During the initial investigation the drug inspectors found Dr Barvaliya, who owned the skin care treatment centres by the name of Godfather hospital and Astitva, at two different location in Surat, to be guilty of defying section 18(c) of the D&C Act which deals with manufacturing drugs without valid license, section 18(a)6 of the Act for manufacturing spurious and substandard drugs putting at risk the life of the patients.

Dr Barvaliya was also found guilty of selling allopathic drugs to the patients in the pretence of ayurvedic drugs, which is a serious offense under the law. During the raid that was carried out on a tip off, the investigators found that Dr Barvaliya was involved in buying generic anti-fungal, anti microbial, steroid containing ointments and creams from the market in bulk and reclaiming them under the fake brand name of Asta ayurvedic product.

Dr H G Koshia, commissioner, Gujarat FDCA informed that while doing these illegal activities Dr Barvaliya had been very careful so as to avoid detection by faking all the required details in a very systematic manner with manufacturing and production date, batch number and details along with the name of ayurvedic ingredients used in the so called labels. Each of the products was packed in 65 grams sachets and was sold to patients directly.

Dr Koshia further informed that almost 95 substances including other drug-based raw materials were confiscated from the clinics out of which 20 samples have been sent to the drug-testing lab for testing. “Strict action will be taken against the culprits for risking the life of patients for monetary gains. We have always tried our best to ensure the safety of the patients as our first priority, thus to ensure that such activities do not happen again. We are going to tighten our investigative technics to a newer level. This will not only help us in controlling such illegal events in the state but also will discourage any possible mushrooming of such activities in the state in the future as well.”