Nightmare for asthma patients; fake inhalers rampant in Kerala; two lakhs worth of fake medicines seized

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Counterfeits of inhalers used by asthma patients are rampant in the market. The Drugs Control Department has seized a large number of fake SEROFLO Rotacaps 250 Inhaler manufactured by Cipla. The fake medicines worth Rs. 2 lakh were seized in simultaneous inspections conducted in Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur and Kozhikode districts.

The Drugs Control Department has registered a case against Aswas Pharma in Balaramapuram, Thiruvananthapuram, and Med World Pharma in Poonkunnam, Thrissur, for stocking counterfeit medicines. Drugs Controller Dr. Sujith announced that strict action will be taken against them, including cancellation of drug licenses.

This medicine is priced at Rs 573 in the market. It reached Kerala through some middlemen in the North Indian states at a low price. The middlemen handed it over with a proper bill. However, it has not been possible to find out where the middlemen bought it from. The Drug Control Department has started an investigation focusing on some North Indian states to find out.

The State Drugs Controller has informed that traders purchasing medicines from outside Kerala should keep all the bills from the time the medicine reaches the trader from the manufacturer and produce them before the officials who come for inspection. They will be considered illegal drugs if there are no sufficient documents.