Bengaluru: The state govt Thursday formed a six-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the spurious drug racket unearthed in Bidadi. The move came even as Bengaluru pharmacists and chemists claimed the fake medicines were unlikely to have entered the conventional retail supply chain and may instead have reached patients through hospital pharmacies, intermediaries or online sellers.The SIT, headed by Bengaluru joint commissioner of police (West) C Vamshikrishna, will investigate the case, in which four people were arrested after relabelled spurious drugs were found at a farmhouse.Pharmacists said the drugs seized are primarily used for critical care, including in ICUs, CCUs and cancer centres, and are commonly not available at retail pharmacies.“Our distribution chain is well established. Drugs move from manufacturers to carrying and forwarding agents, then to distributors and finally to retail chemists. There is little scope for duplicates to enter this chain,” said M K Mayanna, the president, Bruhat Bengaluru Chemists and Druggists Association.He said counterfeit medicines could, however, find their way into online medicine-delivery systems, where deep discounts and inadequate quality checks may make it easier for spurious products to circulate.C Jayaram, the president, Karnataka Pharma Retailers and Distributors Organisation (KPRDO), claimed retailers were being unfairly blamed.“The medicines being counterfeited are meant for critical care and are generally available only through hospital pharmacies. Retail chemists do not stock them because there is virtually no demand. The consequences of tampering with lifesaving drugs for profit, though, can be serious,” he said.Ravindra Kumar M J, the general secretary, Karnataka Chemists and Distributors Association, said such medicines could enter the market through intermediaries operating around hospitals. He alleged that some agents approach patients, particularly at govt hospitals, offering medicines at discounts of 30-40% without bills, claiming “GST is being avoided“.“Patients are told a medicine is unavailable at the hospital and asked to contact a particular person who can deliver it to their bedside at a cheaper rate. Those who cannot afford expensive treatment may readily accept such offers,” Kumar said.He also alleged that some patients get medicines verified by doctors, who may confirm them in exchange for commissions without checking their authenticity.Chemists urged FDA to step up inspections and enforcement. Kumar said complaints, including anonymous ones, are sometimes made but alleged that crackdowns remain inadequate, and penalties are insufficient.Jayaram also sought tighter regulation of medicine margins. He said several non-scheduled drugs, including counterfeited ones, can be sold at higher margins and suggested bringing critical medicines under the scheduled category, where prices are regulated by the govt.Points for GFX:CALL FOR FDA CHECKS* Chemists claim established distribution channels leave little room for fake drugs* Intermediaries may be supplying counterfeits to patients* Online sales under scrutiny; deep discounts, weaker quality checks could aid circulation of fake drugs* Chemists call for stronger FDA enforcement and regulation of drug margins
