FDA acting tough against drugs sold through misleading advertisements

Mumbai, 8 Feb 2017: Drug Inspectors of Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) Nagpur division on Friday conducted raids on the premises of M/S Rashmi Ayurvedic Agencies Plot No 11, Modern Society, Tatya Tope Nagar and seized products like Megamind Brain Tonic, Memroz Syrup, Mi-lady tonic, fatout syrup, Bukharnil syrup, stonoris syrup, Marathon Churan etc. The raid was very special as it was conducted under Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) (DMR) Act, 1954. Similar raids were also conducted at Chandrapur and Wardha simultaneously.

Pushpahas M Ballal, Drug Inspector (Intelligence Branch) of FDA who initiated the raids told The Hitavada, There are many medicines being advertised on print and electronic media. The advertisements have false claims like 'reduce weight within 15 days', 'burn fat in one week', 'increase memory power in three months', 'increase your sexual power within two days', 'stop hair fall in one week' etc. Such types of advertisements with many false claims tend to cause the ignorant and unwary consumer to resort to self-medication or to resort to quacks who indulge in such advertisements for treatment which cause great harm. The DMR Act came into existence 60 years ago, but the proper implementation of the act has not been seen over the years. Maharashtra FDA Commissioner Dr Harshdeep Kamble with an intention to save people from self medication has decided to conduct special drives under the DMR act across the State."

FDA Joint Commissioner Mohan Kekatpure stated that Maharashtra has become the first and only state in the country which has started special drive under DMR Act. In last five months all divisions FDA had seized drugs worth Rs 1.8 crores while Nagpur FDA seized the stock worth Rs 5,23,039.

Along with Ballal, a team of drug inspectors including V.R Ravi, M.V Dhawad, S S Bharde, S.R Ramteke, S.D.Fule, Shehnaz Taji of Nagpur FDA seized drug stocks worth Rs. 5.23 lakhs on 63 cases detected of misleading advertisements claiming to cure ailments like diabetes, obesity, sexual impotency, mental disorders, cancer and rheumatism. Ballal said, "Across the state around 94 raids were conducted in last five months under the guidance of Dr Harshdeep Kamble. FDA revealed that certain advertisements published in leading dailies like those of playwin, stay on power, 303 capsules, ashwtul capsules, long height extra strong, vigofort tablet, medari top slim capsules and fat go capsules have been detected in contravention to the provisions of the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable advertisement) Act (DMR Act) 1954. Dr Kamble directed FDA officials to start tough action against such misleading advertisements. Thus, Maharashtra has become the only state that started action against the drugs under DMR."

The seized stock included medicines sold to cure ailments including diabetes, obesity, sexual impotency, increase in height, mental disorders, cancer, rheumatism, etc. Famous brands like D-Diabetes Powder, Febronal-A Syrup, Fat Go Slimming Powder, capsules; Jippo Afrikan Capsules Bukhar Nil Syrup, Manasvita Syrup, Jambola Syrup, Mem-up Syrup, Megamind Brain Tonic, Memroz Tablet, Long Power Syrup, Jolly Fat Go etc.