Cipla, Dr Reddy's under DCGI scanner for selling banned drugs

NEW DELHI, 19 AUG: The country's drug regulator has sent show-cause notices to Cipla and Dr Reddy's Laboratories for selling drugs banned by the government and is planning similar action against a few other top drug makers. In June, a team of drug inspectors found large stocks of three banned medicines in 85 chemists during surprise inspections conducted in Delhi and Bhiwadi in Rajasthan to clamp down on drug makers and chemists selling banned medicines. The Drug Controller General of India, or DCGI, sent the notice a few weeks back. "Dr Reddy's has asked for more time to respond while Cipla is yet to answer to a few more queries," said a health ministry official, who did not wish to be named as investigations are underway. A Dr Reddy's spokesperson said it has withdrawn its gatifloxacin brand immediately upon notification on the ban of the drugs. DCGI is awaiting responses from all the companies concerned. If the responses are unsatisfactory, it will start prosecutions against the firms by October. If found guilty, officials concerned of the respective firms faces a two year jail term under the country's laws. During the raid, chemists were selling brands of three banned medicines - diabetes drug rosiglitazone, antibiotic gatifloxacin and bowel disorder medicine tegaserod. These brands include those of Sun Pharmaceutical, Dr Reddy's Laboratories, Cipla, Torrent Pharma and Macleods Pharma. The chemists and drug outlets were asked not to dispose off stocks of prohibited drugs. The Drug Controller General of India has already initiated actions against the chemists and are now probing the role of companies in the violations. In the past, there have been instances of drug makers and chemists flouting the health ministry's order by selling drugs which have been banned by the government. A Sun Pharma spokesperson said the firm fully complies with all applicable circulars issued by the regulatory authorities, including those imposing ban on drugs. Spokespersons of the other three firms declined to comment. "It is not easy to track and recall batches of drugs that were sold a year ago," a senior industry executive said.

Economic Times