Fake blood pressure medicine caught! High alert issued in the state, owner of “Manna Agency” arrested

There is a big sensation in the state regarding drug fraud. The Directorate of Drug Control has submitted the report of the blood pressure medicine recovered from Amta. Doctors and the common people of the state were shocked as soon as this report came to light. Because, the test results showed that the ‘Telma AM 40’ medicine circulating in the market is actually completely fake.
After the fraud of this medicine used to control high blood pressure was detected, a report was sent to the concerned manufacturing company. The company informed that the batch number of the medicine (05240367) has been kept exactly the same as the original medicine, so that buyers can easily fall prey to fraud. However, when the QR code on the medicine is scanned, it is seen that ‘Could not Verified’, that is, it is fake. Even the aluminum foil of the medicine packet has spelling mistakes.
The administration is moving to break the cycle
After this incident, hospitals in the state have been warned. All government and private hospitals and pharmacies have been instructed to scan the QR code before receiving the relevant medicine. Only proven genuine medicines can be given to patients. Wholesalers and retailers have also been warned not to sell the medicine of this batch in the supply chain without testing it.
Raid in Amta, fake medicine worth Rs 17 lakh recovered
On February 21, the Drug Control Department raided the godown of a medicine supplier company called Manna Agency in Amta, Howrah. Fake medicine worth Rs 17 lakh was stored there. The investigation revealed more sensational information – these fake medicines were brought from Bihar and were being supplied to different districts of the state.
This is not the first time! Earlier, fake life-saving medicines worth Rs 6.5 crore were recovered in Kolkata. Even then, the Central Drug Control had issued an alert. It is known that about 44 types of low-quality medicines have spread in the country’s market, whose ingredients are mixed with adulteration.
QR code fraud: Investigation stirs after drug company’s complaint
In 2023, the central government ordered QR codes to be attached to 300 essential medicines to maintain the quality. Drug manufacturers put QR codes on the medicines accordingly. But recently, a renowned drug manufacturer said that the QR codes of their pressure medicines had been forged.
After that, the state drug control investigation confirmed that Amtar Manna Agency had been running the fake medicine business for a long time. Finally, on Thursday, a raid was conducted at that godown and a large quantity of fake medicines was seized and the owner of the company was arrested.
Investigators estimate that fake medicines worth Rs 1.86 crore were supplied to the market through this ring. However, an investigation is underway to arrest the main perpetrators of this fraud.
The recovery of fake medicines one after another in the state has caused serious concern in the health community. The administration has assured to take strict action, but it is also important for the public to be vigilant.