A group of quacks acting as RMP doctors were found illegally selling gentamicin antibiotic drug as typhoid vaccine for exorbitant rates to the poor gullible patients in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh. After receiving a tip off, the Kurnool district police swung into action and arrested 3persons claiming as RMP doctors from military colony in Emmiganuru mandal of Kurnool district.

According to Prasad, Circle inspector of Emmiganuru, a group of quacks have formed gang and were carrying out illegal business of selling gentamicin drugs by changing the labels on the bottles as bio type vaccine to cure typhoid. “We have taken into custody 3 persons claiming to be RMP doctors selling the gentamicin medicine by replacing the labels on the bottles with bio type vaccine. We have booked them under the drugs and cosmetic act and for cheating the poor patients by sticking fake labels and misguiding them. We have also raided the office of Dwarakamai press and arrested a person named Suresh for his involvement of helping the quacks to print fake labels,” informed the Circle Inspector.

The police further informed that the modus operandi of these quacks is that they used to procure the bottles containing gentamicin antibiotic drugs in bulk from the local pharmacies at Rs.6 to 7 per bottle and then they used to remove the original label and replace it with the fake label of ‘Bio Type’ and later claim it to be the vaccine for typhoid and sell it to gullible poor patients for exorbitant rates ranging from Rs.100 to 200.

The main problem in the rural areas is due to scarcity of doctors and fearing high medical cost at private and corporate hospitals, majority people in the village approach the quacks and RMP doctors for getting their ailments cured. Taking advantage of this, some people claiming to be RMP doctors have formed a gang and openly doing illegal business by misleading the patients and selling medicines illegally without any license. Moreover, they have now even resorting to severe criminal acts of removing labels on the bottles and sticking fake labels and claiming to provide effective medicines and vaccines at very low cost.

Apart from Kurnool district, recently the drug inspectors from adjacent Jogulamaba Gadwal district in Telangana state have also come across similar unlicensed illegal sales of medicines. “We have arrested one RMP doctor named Tirupathi from Gadwal district for selling 66 varieties of medicines without having any license from the drug control authorities. Only a registered pharmacy store is entitled to sell the medicines and no other person can dispense the medicines as per the drugs and cosmetic Act. We are now increasing our vigil in the rural areas and will book the violators and take strict action against them per the law,” said Balakrishna, drug inspector from Gadwal district.